The Legend of the Thiasa
by o0Kae-lyn0o
Summary: Forced to spend the rest of their lives together, can two enemies overcome their differences and learn to love before its too late? AU SasuNaru Yaoi
1. Prolouge

Disclaimer: If we were in my own world, Naruto and Co. would be alllll mine but unfortunately I have slowly come to realize that I do not own Naruto and I never will... sniff  
  
A/N: HIHIHIHI!! Oh wow. This is my first fanfic ever. Sooo pleeeeeease be kind!! . this is based of the book "Hawksong" by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes, one of my favorite authors ever. So yes, I'm not brilliant enough to come up with these ideas – I can only lurk around the edges of brilliance. Hahaha. Oook here goes!!! Enjoy k?

* * *

**Thiasa**   
  
_Prolouge_  
How it began – no one remembers anymore. Those who knew the true reason for the fighting, the bloodshed – they relinquished themselves to the eternal sleep many generations ago. Each generation follows the one before it – as blinded by hatred as their fathers. They no longer know who the people are that they fight – only that they are enemies without souls, without worth. Enemies they feel no regret in killing. The mighty Avia and Canis clans – clans where the bird or canine form are as familiar as the human form. Where claws tipped with metal and fangs carefully sharpened are as deadly as any blade. Blindly, desperately, they fight. And too many have shunned the legend born in the beginning – the legend that speaks of the one, the Thiasa, who will bring hope and peace in a time of chaos. Too many have stopped speaking of such foreign concepts as hope or peace. The Thiasa lies forgotten.

* * *

A woman's pain filled scream cut through the dense night air, rising in pitch before ending abruptly. It was late – closer perhaps to morning than night – and yet, all the caverns and caves of the Canis clan were brightly lit. Families huddled together, in silent or voiced prayer, hoping fervently that tonight would be a blessed night. Tension filled the air, until even the littlest of cubs cried piteously, their wails only increasing when hassled parents distractedly and half heartedly attempted to soothe them.  
In the exact center of the vast network of caverns was the Grand Residence. Tonight, it bustled with activity – doctors and nurses coming and going, all conferring in hushed tones. The surrounding guards stood stiff with attention, their exhaustion only showing in the slight flickering of their eyes. In whispers everywhere, there was only one thing one everyone's mind.  
_ The queen. The queen._  
Another scream broke loose, jolting the majority of the people. _The baby. The baby._ Already, there had been three pregnancies. The peoples' morale sank as each infant had been declared a stillbirth. The clan needed an heir and if Fate would have it, they would receive one tonight.  
At the moment, the queen lay panting on her bed. Sweat shone on her face and her loose robe clung to her body damply. Her face contorted as she felt another contraction come and she held even tighter to her mate's hand until both of their hands turned white. Why was this baby so difficult?  
_Oh, please. Oh please let it live. Please, don't take this one too._  
"Breathe, Your Majesty. In and out. In and out. Alright, one last time, push!" the doctor attending her said.  
With her waning strength, she pushed. Through the overwhelming pain that threatened to take her into darkness, she pushed. Just before she thought she could take no more, she heard the glorious sound of a baby's thin wail. Collapsing, she felt tears trickling down her cheeks. She had done it. Silently, she waited for the nurses to clean the child up before motioning them over. She struggled to sit up and then stretched out her arms beseechingly to have her cub placed gently in her trembling hands.  
_I have a son. An heir at last. Oh... so beautiful._  
Wonderingly she stroked her son's face. She shook with sobs of joy as she held him close to her heart. Far off in the distance, she could hear the exuberant celebrations of her people as they learned of the wonderful news. After a few quiet moments gazing at her sleeping child, she reluctantly handed him to the High Shinobis. There was still the most vital ritual to take care of. They needed to discern and release his canine form.  
  
Propping herself up on pillows, the queen watched as the nine High Shinobis placed the cub in the center of the room and formed a circle around him. The First glanced at the others and seeing that they were ready, he nodded and in unison, they began the hand seals. Slowly at first, they formed the same seals together but as they sped up, it soon became a confusing relay of different alternating seals. Their chanting filled the still room with an eager apprehension. Suddenly, the Shinobis stopped, all of them frozen with the same seal. The First moved and closing his eyes, he sent a thin stream of concentrated chakra soaring through the air. Each Shinobi followed until the Ninth had joined her line with the others. This was the most delicate process – too much chakra from any one of them, and the baby would be killed or injured. Too little and it would rebound from the baby's natural defenses to the nine Shinobis, causing a whiplash-like effect. The light that was the nine conjoined chakra streams hovered above the child's stomach. Slowly, it descended, obeying each Shinobi's fierce concentration. Soon, it brushed against the infant's pale skin and plunged into his stomach. Instantly, a fiery image appeared above the cub's small body.  
The First gasped and almost lost hold of his strand. Around the room, a collective intake of breath could be heard. Floating above their future king, the image of a proud and fierce red fox paced with barely contained impatience. Tossing its head, it let loose a silent roar, showing deadly pointed teeth and a fury that could not be tamed.  
Nine tails fanned out behind it.

* * *

The king sat at his mate's bedside. Their hands intertwined, both feared for the worst when the First and the Fifth walked over to them with grave expressions. Stopping in front of the royal couple, they started to kneel.  
"Your Majes –," the First began.  
"Jiraiya, we've known each other for near 200 years now. You can drop the formalities and tell me what in the name of Kyarae is wrong with my baby!" the King's voice shook with emotions and fatigue.  
Jiraiya gave a curt nod. "I'm sure you are at least vaguely familiar with the legend of the Thiasa right? Well, the Fifth has studied it in depth as an area of interest so I'll let him explain what the legend has to do with your child." The white haired man stepped aside slightly to allow the younger to approach.  
"Your Majesties." He bowed. "The legend of the Thiasa appeared roughly 1,000 years ago from a very well-respected prophet. He predicted that someday when the need would be the greatest, a child would be born who would grow up and save the Canis clan. Also, this child would not only save the Canis people, but he would also save the Avia clan and stop the bloodshed between the two clans."  
The Fifth paused. "It is said that this child would be identified by his canine form – a powerful fox wielding nine tails."  
The queen paled and her grip on her son tightened, causing the baby to squirm and whimper in his sleep. Next to her, the king sat, equally grim.  
"Umino Iruka is it?" The young man nodded.  
"Are you absolutely positive that this child is ... the Thiasa? The one who will save our entire race?" The king demanded.  
Iruka nodded slowly but the two rulers could see the confidence that radiated from his dark brown eyes. Distractedly the king waved the two High Shinobi away out of hearing range with the command to come back in several minutes.  
As soon as they had gone far enough, he turned to his wife with anguish in his eyes. "What do we do now?"  
She looked down lovingly at her son, even as tears threatened to spill over. "He cannot stay here. It is too dangerous being a royal with Avia assassins everywhere. He must live. He must!" The distraught woman caught her husband's gaze and in it she saw her same pain and grief.  
"Shh. I know he must. Are you proposing that we send him away? Our only child? Only heir?" The king asked quietly.  
The queen took several deep breaths to calm herself down. Tenderly she looked at her baby and lightly stroked his cheek as she answered in a barely audible voice.  
"Yes."  
And the first teardrop fell.

* * *

"Jiraiya."   
"Yes?"   
"We have decided to send him away."  
"... All of the High Shinobi agree that his fox form must be sealed – to protect him, you understand."   
"Yes. I understand." The king looked over to his wife. "Darling. Are you ready?"   
The queen remained silent, memorizing her son's sweet face before saying in a choked voice, "May I name him first?"   
Her husband nodded, not trusting his voice. Tears openly streaming down her face now, the queen kissed her child on the forehead softly and sorrowfully.  
"He shall be named Naruto."

* * *

A/N: OMG! My first chapter to my first fic!!! How exciting is that?!?!? Wheee. Lol. Anyway. Hopefully you didn't fall asleep on me – and the only reason you even managed to reach this note is because when you slumped over the keyboard, you landed on the down arrow. . ::prays that it's not true:: we'll see how long the next chapter will take me, ne? till then, ciao!


	2. Fate Begins Her Song

Disclaimer: GO AWAY! Stop making me admit that I don't own Naruto!!! ::sob:: you're meeeeeeeeeeean!  
  
A/N: ooo yaaaay!!! ::hugs all reviewers:: I luv y'all!!! Seriously, ur reviews made me very happy. Hehehe. :P thanks so much!! Anyway! I can't believe this – I'm actually writing a fanfic! I'm so excited, you don't understand! :D please bear with me for this chapter.. I promise something will actually happen for the next chapter!! Until then – au revoir! And I hope you enjoy!

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The Legend of the Thiasa  
Chapter 1: Fate Begins Her Song

Dull thuds echoed through the forest as a young boy attacked a tree stump again and again. He gritted his teeth in frustration – each kick growing more and more violent.  
  
Naruto had grown into a handsome man of 18 now. His golden hair was wild and untamed but somehow seemed to fit with his brilliant grin. Hours of training had left him tanned and toned. The young boy's clear sapphire eyes constantly held a sparkle of some hidden joy that seemed to light his entire being up from the inside. In short, he was beautiful.  
  
However, at the moment, his well known smile was nowhere to be seen. There was no happiness in his eyes either, only anger.  
  
He was already 18 for Kyarae's sake! Most other boys got to join the Guard at a much earlier age than that! And it wasn't like he was incompetent – no, he was just as talented, if not more so than the other boys his age. Naruto abruptly stopped kicking the stump and instead, punched it fiercely in his growing rage. It was bad enough that he was a – _freak_ – NO! - a person that couldn't transform! Otou-san was just making it worse by overprotecting him.  
  
Naruto growled as he collapsed on his back to behold a star filled sky. His friends were out there dying every day by the hands of those cursed Avia while he was stuck here. His hands clenched. Why was he so helpless?? He could fight too! It didn't matter that he couldn't transform – there were other ways of killing an Avian. Naruto lay there for a while, letting his anger wash over him, until he could no longer take it. Abruptly, he stood up and began to jog towards the cavern entrance.  
  
Ten minutes later, Naruto stood in front of his home. He breathed in the scent coming from beyond the cloth door flap – it smelled of his father and of happiness and it always comforted him when he was distressed. Ducking, he entered to find Iruka preparing tomorrow's lunch.  
  
"You were out late, Naruto," Iruka didn't bother turning around. "I thought I told you to come back before sundown. What if there had been Avian soldiers around?"  
  
Clear blue eyes darkened. "I can take care of myself! I'm not a baby anymore! You _know_ that I've trained extra hard to make up for my – my deformity." A flicker of self-disgust flashed across Naruto's face.  
  
Iruka tensed. Slowly, he stopped what he was doing and turned around to face the young man he so fondly called son. He saw the frustration in the blonde's eyes and a familiar pang of regret pierced his heart. How he wished he could tell Naruto that he was no freak!  
  
Iruka thought back to that fateful night when the First had taken him aside and informed him that he was to be Naruto's guardian. He had been even more shaken when Jiraiya had told him sternly that under no condition was Naruto to know of his heritage. He was to be told that his inability to transform was a defect by birth. Iruka was to be his "father" and his "mother" was to be dead by childbirth complications.  
  
Now, gazing into his furious glare, Iruka felt remorse once again. All those nights when Naruto had come home bruised and tearful from another kid's taunts – he had come so close again and again to breaking down and telling him! His heart ached for his adopted son.  
  
"Naruto," Iruka began hesitantly.  
  
"Please, Otou-san!" the teen interrupted. "Let me fight in the upcoming raid! I'm **EIGHTEEN**, for Kyarae's sake!! I can handle it!!! Just... _please_, give me a chance to prove myself." Naruto trailed off.  
  
The taller man bit his lip, uncertain. He knew Naruto would have to venture out into battle eventually. Maybe... maybe now was the right time.  
  
"... I'll think about it and tell you in the morning ok?" Iruka surveyed the blonde questioningly.  
  
Instantly, a trademark grin appeared on the teen's face. Naruto launched himself at his father, crushing him in an exuberant hug.  
  
"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" he exclaimed before tumbling into his bedroom.

* * *

Iruka peered into the boy's chambers, making sure that he was actually asleep. As if to alleviate his worries, Naruto chose that moment to let out a light snore accompanied with vague mumblings. Iruka chuckled as he withdrew his head and quietly headed out the door. He could've sworn the boy said something about ramen.  
  
Walking briskly through the empty tunnels, he soon came to the Grand Residence. Offering slight smiles to his former teammates who were standing guard, he pushed opened the heavy oak doors and entered.  
  
A woman with long, blonde hair stood in the middle of the room, finger pointed accusingly towards the First, who lounged unaffected at her feet. Frustrated obscenities poured from her mouth. Iruka winced. Her voice was so loud!  
  
The former Fifth sighed. "Um. Excuse me?" Both heads turned, and the two broke into smiles.  
  
"Iruka!" Jiraiya got to feet and strode over to clasp his shoulder. "It's been a while since you came to visit us! I was going insane with this old hag always accusing me of cheating to steal her gambling money." He jerked a thumb in the blonde woman's general direction and snorted. "As if I even need to cheat to win with her."  
  
"HEY!" the blonde fumed. "You do too cheat! I normally don't lose that amount!"  
  
Iruka thought he heard Jiraiya mumble that she usually lost more than that before covering it up with a fit of coughing. He grinned. Some things never change.  
  
He stepped forward towards the petite woman and bowed. "Your Highness."  
  
Irritated, she quickly pulled him to his feet. "I HATE it when you do that. How many times do I have to tell you to call me Tsunade??" she grumbled.  
  
The brown haired man laughed. "Fine, fine." Quickly though, his expression sobered. "But I'm afraid we must discuss something important."  
  
Knowingly, Tsunade nodded and dismissed all the guards. "Now," she said, turning back to her friend. "It's about him isn't it?"  
  
"Yes," Iruka said slowly. "He... he wants to fight in the next raid."  
  
The queen sighed and rubbed her temples. She really wasn't meant for this job. If only... if only her cousin and her husband had not been assassinated 10 years ago! Kyarae, they were much better rulers than she could ever hope to be. But with the only heir hidden for his protection, she was the one with the best claim for the throne. Tsunade grimaced and turned her attention back to Iruka.  
  
"He's eighteen now, correct?" He nodded and she sighed again. "We can't keep him cooped up forever. Maybe we could make him a sentry – that way he won't be in as much danger." Tsunade glanced over at the First. "What do you think, Jiraiya?"  
  
"As captain of the Elite Guard and Naruto's teacher, I'd say it's fine," the white haired man paused. "But – as the First of the High Shinobis – I wouldn't want him sent out there. He shouldn't be put in any danger."  
  
He thought for awhile. "I could send one of my men to trail him and look after him. Would that work?"  
  
"Brilliant," Tsunade smiled. "It shall be done."

* * *

Across the Crimson Plains, a raven swooped through one of the many open windows on the tower and landed in a corridor. It shook itself, ruffling its jet black feathers before hunching over peculiarly. Slowly, its form changed to that of a young man with dark hair. He straightened, revealing sharp obsidian eyes and a hardened face. His form fitting black clothes, designed for transforming, hinted at a muscular body underneath. With calloused hands, he tiredly rubbed at his eyes. It was late, and he wanted nothing more than to fly back home and sleep but the king wanted a word with him before he went off on his patrols. Silently, he began to walk along the empty hallway towards the Royal Room.  
  
Reaching his destination quickly, he entered without knocking. A shadowed figure stood at a window across the room with his back towards the boy, apparently fascinated with the night sky.  
  
He kneeled, his left hand touching his right cheek in the respected salute. "Your Majesty," he said. "You called?"  
  
Twirling around, the king came over to where the boy was and gestured for him to rise. "Ah Sasuke-kun, you came. There's no one here, you know, you can drop the formalities."  
  
Sasuke stood and examined his long time mentor and teacher. As usual, a black mask covered the bottom portion of his face and the intricate shaped metal band that indicated his royalty hung over his left eye. Although the king wore the loose traditional robes fitting of his position, Sasuke knew that underneath, he still donned the suit of the Guards – easy to transform in and suited for fighting.  
  
"What did you call me here for, Kakashi – sama?"  
  
The king smiled then became serious. "To talk about you."  
  
Sasuke flinched. "Me? There's nothing to talk about."  
  
Kakashi scrutinized him for several long moments and the younger boy fought the urge to squirm. Instead, he adopted a mask of blankness. Suddenly, Kakashi spoke.  
  
"You've been so quiet lately, Sasuke. I see you every day and with the amount of struggle I see in your eyes it's like I'm seeing one of the Lost. You disappear for hours at a time, forsaking your duties as one of the Guard and when you come back – you come back a different man. What has been going on with you?"  
  
The man in question bowed his head, letting his hair cover his face so as not to let the king see the anguish in his soul. He debated whether to tell his mentor of his troubles or not. It didn't take much thought to come to the conclusion that he could not let anyone know of his pain. It was his struggle – his punishment for being too weak and it was a battle he would have to fight alone. Slipping on his blank mask again, he raised his head and faced the ruler.  
  
"I'm fine," he maintained in a low, even voice. "Don't worry about me too much, Kakashi-sama, you need to concentrate on your people and your kingdom."  
  
Sasuke bowed and started to back away. "I'm sorry, but I'm late for my patrol. Good night, Your Highness." Avoiding the king's gaze, he darted out the door and strode away quickly, praying that Kakashi would not follow.  
  
Occupied with his thoughts, he did not see disaster until it was too late.  
  
"SASUKE – KUUUUN!"  
  
He winced at the high pitched squeals that shattered the thick night air. Two shadowy forms all but threw themselves at him. Inwardly, he groaned. He was having the worst luck tonight. After that talk with the king, he was in no mood to humor the two Ladies. Grimly, he set about the task of detaching the pink and blonde haired nobles.  
  
"Sakura-san, Ino-san," he said through gritted teeth. "If you would please, I am late for patrol duty." He pried their hands off of his arms roughly.  
  
"Aww, Sasuke-kun! Join us for the remainder of our walk at least! It's such a pretty night and we were just admiring the stars!" Ino pouted.  
  
"No."  
  
"Please!"  
  
"No. Now, if you'll excuse me," Sasuke pushed past them and all but ran down the corridor. Reaching a suitable window, he checked to see if they had followed him and heaved a sigh of relief when he discovered that they had not. Quickly, before they changed their minds, he slipped into his raven form and shot through the window and into the clear sky. The exhilaration of flight came to him and he let himself concentrate on nothing else but the joy of air beneath his wings and the crispness of the night air in his lungs.

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A/N: sorry u guys for being so long... ." hopefully you're still awake..


	3. Two Worlds Collide

Disclaimer: I do not own anything Naruto... save for the Sasuke doll that's sitting on my pillow in my room!! Yay! ::squeezes it to death::  
  
A/N: thank you thank you thank you my love-oh-ly reviewers!!! Your reviews force me to write faster. Lol. Sooooooo sorry this chap is so short.. I promise the next one will be more interesting and (hopefully) longer!! Thnx for all u guys' patience! Oh and..   
**iceheart19** – no the Avians do not turn into only ravens. It's only the Elite Guard family that are ravens. And the Canis have different canine forms within the whole clan as well. For example, all of the High Shinobis, including Iruka b/c he was a former HS, are wolves. (but I don't think I've mentioned that in the story yet..).   
**bishiehuggler** – I agree.. ravens ARE loud and annoying.. but they look pretty!! And doesn't Sasuke remind you of a raven?? Or maybe it's just me... o.O   
**Miekje** – sorry this chapter is **so short**.. it's a transition chapter, really.. but I promise more interesting stuff will happen in the next chapter!!!! .""

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**   
The Legend of the Thiasa  
** **Chapter 2: Two Worlds Collide**  
  
Two uneventful days had passed. Sasuke glided through the air, the rising sun glinting off his onyx black feathers, revealing in them, a fascinating array of shifting colors. He had already been flying for several hours now and so was searching for a place to land and rest. He hated being on patrol. Being on patrol was too much like doing nothing. Thankfully, his shift was almost over. He spotted a small gap in the blanket of treetops and immediately folded his wings and shot through it. Expertly, he landed on the dewy carpet of grass. Within moments, he had slipped into his human form.  
  
He stood gracefully and surveyed the area around him. He had landed in a small clearing which he was guessing was around a mile from the village walls. Majestic trees surrounded the glade, and in the morning sun, looked almost ethereal in their beauty. Small, shy wildflowers dotted the area with tiny drops of color. The dark haired boy ran his fingers through his hair and sighed contentedly. He loved the woods – it was the only place where he felt truly at home. The faint scent of nature seemed to wrap its arms around him and soothe his worries.  
  
Sasuke closed his eyes and let a rare smile appear. He felt a sudden impulse to lay down and spend the entire day here. In the middle of his serious debate of whether he should ditch his duties or not that day, frantic cheepings broke through the woods. Immediately, his head shot up. There – the outer sentries where flying towards him at breakneck speeds. The sentry family being all sparrows, it meant that unless he slowed them down, they were likely to do something stupid and crash. Plus, he needed to know what had happened.  
  
Quickly, he raised his left hand, touched his right cheek, and kept it raised high in a salute of trustworthiness. The sparrows, with their keen eyesight, caught sight of him and descended. Upon landing on the ground, one of them transformed into a panting black haired man dressed in the typical sentry browns. Hastily, he returned the salute to Sasuke then proceeded to inform him of the situation.  
  
"Sir, we've just seen movement in the forest about 7 miles away. From the number of mutts I saw running through the trees, I'd say the Canis are bent on a major attack," the sentry's voice came through breathless and rushed.  
  
Sasuke's face darkened. "How many? How much time do we have?"  
  
The sentry hesitated. "Around 800, sir. You have less than ten minutes."  
  
Sasuke cursed as the flock of sparrows took off to inform the rest of the soldiers._ 800 bloody mutts!_ Trust the Canis to attack them right after they had suffered heavy losses from the last battle. Nearly a third of their soldiers had been injured and were currently in no shape to fight.  
  
Swiftly, the young man shifted into his alter form and let loose a wild, harsh, warning cry as his powerful wings lifted him into the air. If any of the other soldiers heard, they would know to alert the others to prepare for battle. From his high vantage point, his keen eyes swept the landscape, looking for the enemies.  
  
Suddenly, a small movement caught his eye. Focusing on the area where it had come from, Sasuke abruptly saw flashes of blonde hair. Grimly, he tucked his wings in and descended.

* * *

Naruto grinned and forced himself to swallow the exuberant whoop that threatened to burst through. Running swiftly with the rest of his pack, he felt exhilarated by the wind rushing by, carrying the sweet taste of battle to him. Momentarily, he even forgot the irritating detail that he was the only one still in his human form.  
  
Abruptly, they encountered the first swarm of Avian foot soldiers. The two groups clashed violently and blood began to seep the ground. Naruto found himself facing a fierce, burly man. Snarling, the man bared his teeth and lunged at the mere child before him. Frozen, Naruto stared horrified as the man rushed at him. Then, at the last second, his years of grueling training took over.

Grabbing a kunai, he slashed at the man viciously. Caught by surprise, the man hesitated for a moment too long. Naruto slammed his blade into his enemy's heart, driving it deep and causing spurts of crimson blood to appear. Gasping, the man stumbled backwards and fell with a dull thud. His form flickered wildly, osprey and human battling to settle. Finally, he stopped twitching and become still, the red of his life blood slowly staining his pale skin and his dark uniform.  
  
Naruto stared, panting. Stunned, he raised his hand to his face. There was so much blood. Slowly, he lifted his eyes and glanced around him. He saw his commander kill his opponent swiftly and locking eyes with him, Naruto understood that it was time for him to go.  
  
Turning and disappearing into the woods, Naruto ran. A wave of nausea and remorse slowly filled his body. So much blood. He had just taken the life of a stranger, without thought or regret either. Sharp pangs stabbed his heart as he wondered whether the man had a family or not. What had he just destroyed? What happiness did he just steal?  
  
Unable to hold it in anymore, Naruto stopped and hunched over, breathing hard. He threw up into the nearby bushes, his stomach heaving until there was nothing left. Dully, he wiped his mouth with his sleeve and straightened. He ran on, blindly.  
  
Behind him trailed a relatively young man. Only 26, he was already considered a miracle for surviving that long. Slightly angry, he watched passively as the boy threw up. Why was he given this stupid task? His teammates and friends were back there, dying at the claws of those dirty birds while he tracked this youngster. Growling softly to himself he wondered fiercely why this boy's safety was so important. Suddenly, realization hit him. The commander was probably just testing him. He probably wanted to see if he would accept a meaningless task or disobey orders to save his comrades. Grinning now, he spared one last glance at the blonde, then turned and sped back through the forest. The commander was going to be so proud of him.  
  
Unaware that he was truly alone now, Naruto kept running. Tears blurred his vision and for a fleeting second, he was glad that Jiraiya-sensei had placed him alone on sentry duty. No one would see him cry this way. Furiously, he wiped his eyes. This was stupid. To be crying over someone he had never known, never even spared a tendril of care for – it wasn't his fault the man was a bloody Avian. He _deserved_ to die! He had probably killed dozens of Naruto's own comrades before.  
  
Eyes dry now, Naruto clenched his fists as a false sense of justice filled him. Preoccupied as he was, he failed to notice the black blur headed for his head until it was too late.  
  
With a cry, he threw up his arm to protect his face from the raven's deadly sharp claws. He felt a sharp pain and blood started to drip down from a gash in his upper arm. Lowering it, he glared at the Avian who had landed and shifted his shape. The man knelt there with his head bowed, black hair spilling across and obscuring his face. Suddenly, his head snapped up and cerulean eyes locked onto obsidian orbs.

* * *

**Preview:**   
_Sasuke became very still and when he raised his eyes, Naruto felt an involuntary shudder run up his spine. This man in front of him was not... human anymore. _

_ "No one draws my blood and lives..." Sasuke said in a low voice and his red eyes became even harder. _


	4. Sparks Fly

**Disclaimer:** Naruto is not mine. Yes, I know, 'tis the bane of my existence.  
  
**A/N:** hey guys.. very sorry that this chapter came so late... yeah, I've been really busy lately. Oh well. Is this one longer than the previous one? Hopefully... I haven't really compared them. Hmm.. ALSO. As a warning, **I'm really really bad at writing battle scenes.** No joke. So I am apologizing beforehand for it!! I'm hoping that this chapter doesn't confuse y'all too much... yeah.. nothing much else. Enjoy aite? Peace. ; )  
  
**Ghostninja85:** nono, don't worry.. this won't turn out like Romeo and Juliet. I'm not writing directionless so I know how I want it to end... and it's def. far from a Shakespeare thing. Haha.  
  
**Miekje:** yup, the Elite Guard ravens _are_ larger than a 'normal' raven. Teehee what did you expect? They're special! .  
  
**Noniechan:** Naruto can't transform b/c the High Shinobi sealed the Kyuubi when he was a baby remember? It was to protect Naruto's identity as the Thiasa and the heir to the throne.  
  
**All my other reviewers:** THANK YOU SO SO SO MUCH!!!! I luv y'all!! muah ok.. now onward w/ the story...  
  
The Legend of the Thiasa   
Chapter 3: Destined Confrontation  
  
The air was filled with tension. The birds' chirping still sounded and the sweet smell of the forest still lingered, but Naruto was no longer aware of them. Instead he glanced around, a bit frantically, at his surroundings, looking for a way out. He did not want to fight again. He had no desire to kill again. Unfortunately, his examination of the area proved futile. The two men were in a small clearing with barely enough room to maneuver. Trees loomed above them, with the lowest braches dozens of feet above Naruto's head. Crap! He wouldn't be able to escape by jumping on the tree branches. He shifted his feet, trying to find good footing on the still damp grass. Finally, he forced himself to look at his attacker.  
  
Naruto stifled a gasp. The raven –boy's eyes were still fixed determinedly on him and the intensity of his gaze scared him. His face seemed like it was all sharp angles at first, but the more Naruto examined, the softer his features became. In different circumstances, Naruto would have called him beautiful. Naruto could see the boy's pale, muscular body through the skintight black uniform he wore. Several scars were scattered across the Avian's bare arms but they were faint and few. Dully, Naruto wondered who had put those scars there – and whether they were still alive.  
  
The blonde shook his head slightly. Stop thinking like that! This guy's only your age... he's probably a pushover. Determination flared in his blue eyes once again. No bloody bird was going to best him, Umino Naruto!  
  
With no warning, Naruto leaped into the air. His hands blurred as he performed the necessary seals. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" he cried. Instantly, thirty clones surrounded the clearing. Each one snarling in rage, they rushed at Sasuke with their kunais withdrawn.  
  
Sasuke was surprised. What a foolish boy – attacking HIM! No one had made the first move against him in a long, long time. What was this kid thinking? Did he WANT to die? Too busy smirking to himself, he was caught off guard by the clones' massive attack. Sasuke was forced to scramble to his feet rather ungracefully to avoid the flashing blades. Regaining his poise, he casually kicked and punched his way through the crowd. With little poofs, the clones slowly were eliminated.  
  
'This is so amateur,' Sasuke scoffed. Wait 'til he told his brother – Itachi would get a good laugh from the Canis' foolishness. Unfortunately, he was overconfident and failed to notice another Naruto attacking him until it was too late.  
  
"Arrgggh!" the blonde growled as he finally reached striking distance. Quickly, before Sasuke could react, Naruto slashed at him. Sasuke's face hardened as he sent a punch in the blonde's direction. Naruto flew back, landing heavily on his back and wincing in pain. He struggled to get back up. Meanwhile, Sasuke lifted up his arm and stared in pure amazement. There was blood dripping down from a shallow gash on his left wrist. The pain was nothing compared to the blow to his ego. His blood had not been drawn since ... four years ago. And that last time had been by Itachi. How could this ... this ... _mutt_ manage to injure him!!  
  
Rage filled his being. Unspeakable anger began to radiate from his skin. Underneath all the layers of anger, the rational part of him panicked. No, no, no! Not again! Vainly, Sasuke struggled to regain control of himself, of this curse within him. His efforts were easily pushed aside however and his inner monster was freed. His deadly bloodlust overtook his mind.  
  
On the other side of the clearing, Naruto had painfully gotten to his feet. Panting, he watched as his enemy examined the wound he had given him. Naruto felt a triumphant feeling rise within him that soon turned into sickening dread when he realized that the Avian had clenched his fists and was breathing hard in anger.  
  
Sasuke became very still and when he raised his eyes, Naruto felt an involuntary shudder run up his spine. This man in front of him was not ... _human _anymore.  
  
"No one draws my blood and lives..." Sasuke growled in a low voice and his red eyes became even harder. Naruto stumbled back a few steps. What had happened to the boy?? What was this ... this _thing_ in front of him?? Horrified, he looked into blood red eyes that had tightened in rage.  
  
Sasuke watched, mildly amused at the stricken teen. This mutt was not worth any real effort on his part. He would toy with him before he killed him – it would be proper revenge for wounding him. He grinned evilly and felt his grin grow wider at the wary fear in the blonde's eyes.  
  
"As thanks for this wound you gave me," he said. "I shall return the favor." With that, he was gone. Naruto glanced frantically around him, searching for the black-haired boy. Where did he go?  
  
"I'm right behind you." Naruto spun around and was immediately punched in the face. As he fell to the ground he felt a sharp pain on his upper left arm. Sparing a glance downward, he saw a neat gash, the blood already dripping out and staining his sleeve. Gritting his teeth, he got to his feet, once more, searching for his enemy.  
  
"Above you." Eyes widening in surprise and horror, Naruto threw his head back and was rewarded with a powerful kick. The same sharp pain came from his arm, except this time it was lower. His sleeve was beginning to become heavy with blood.  
  
The third time, Naruto was ready. As soon as the boy appeared, he launched himself at him. The boy smirked and disappeared once more. "Too slow," came the harsh whisper and again Naruto found himself on the ground, with another mark on his arm.  
  
Panting, Naruto struggled to his feet. He glanced down at his left arm which was dripping a good amount of blood. Suddenly, he realized with a sinking feeling what the raven-boy was doing.  
  
'He's marking down my arm, until he gets to my wrist,' he thought.  
  
As if reading his mind, Sasuke reappeared and smirked. "Don't worry too much. Your arm won't hurt anymore when you're dead."  
  
Naruto was suddenly angry. Who was this boy to toy with him? He was not going to go down like this! Adrenaline filled his body and he threw himself at the Avian, yelling wildly. The two clashed in a blur of blades and limbs. But slowly, it became apparent to even Naruto that he was losing badly as he gained more and more gashes on his arm. He watched, helpless, as Sasuke slashed one last time at his wrist. Pain shot through his arm.  
  
Sasuke smiled coldly. "Are you ready to die now?" he advanced on Naruto, who was swaying on his feet. Dismissively, he examined the boy.  
  
"You're not worth my blade." Sasuke sneered. A good punch would do just fine. The blonde gripped his kunai tighter. Suddenly, Sasuke rushed at Naruto for the final blow. Naruto watched the boy come and with a last powerful surge of determination, he twisted, caught Sasuke's punch, forced it down and brought his own kunai up.  
  
Sasuke stared in bitter amazement. He looked into clear sapphire eyes that burned with determination. He held still but could still feel the cold metal against his throat. His own kunai was pressed just as firmly against Naruto's throat, having been brought up in a flash of instinctive defense. A standstill.

* * *

The two boys were completely still, each holding a blade at the other's throat with their right hands. Their left hands were still intertwined, fingers turning white with pressure. Silence dropped heavily upon their shoulders as they panted, trying to catch their breaths. Slowly, Sasuke's eyes faded into their original obsidian black as his bloodlust disappeared. Able to see and think clearly now, Sasuke was intrigued at the position he was in. It surprised him that this clearly immature boy had managed to back him into a draw.  
  
'Still,' he thought condescendingly. 'that doesn't change the fact that he's inexperienced.'  
  
Sasuke smirked and he prepared to toy with this boy. "You won't kill me."  
  
Naruto's eyes narrowed. "You don't know me – you can't say that," he growled.  
  
"You're too weak. You don't have what it takes to be out here. To kill." Sasuke's superior smile had faded to be replaced with a serious expression.  
  
Hatred came, bitter and unbidden, to Naruto as he stared into dark eyes. It burned through him as memories of his childhood flashed across his mind's eye. For years, that's all he had heard from those around him and it irked him that it still hurt as badly as when he had heard it the first time.  
  
Suddenly, he was five again. Standing in front of his entire class, their eyes bored into him, sending waves of heat and embarrassment through his body. Why were they all staring? He wished they would look away.  
  
"Naruto?" the gentle voice of his teacher broke the silence. It was tinged with impatience. "I asked you to introduce yourself AND your alter form. Come on now, we don't have all day. Change for us."  
  
Naruto turned his head and stared up at his teacher, confusion evident upon his face. "Alter form? How do I change?"  
  
Peals of laughter resounded in the room as the small woman gaped at the innocent blonde child. How could he not know how to shift to his alter form? Even worse, how could he not even know about alter forms?? Quickly, she recovered and slowly, she walked her student through the process. At least, she tried to. Ten minutes later, she was even more bewildered than before. This child... it was as if he COULDN'T change!  
  
Naruto glanced tearfully at his classmates. They were still laughing, but a voice cut through the glee, painfully clear in its disgust.  
  
"What a freak!" Naruto cringed. He wasn't a freak! He shook his head violently, trying to deny it but soon, other voices joined in, tossing ugly words down at him.  
  
"Weirdo!"  
  
"Loser!"  
  
"Freak! Freak! Freak!" Their laughter continued to grow.  
  
Finally, Naruto burst into tears. "Stop it!" he cried and ran from the room to find Iruka's comforting embrace and confront the painful truth that he was different. A freak.  
  
_Concentrating on each other, both boys, dark and light, failed to notice the soft blue light that was slowly spreading around their touching left wrists.  
_  
Sasuke watched as Naruto's eyes grew distant. Curiously, he wondered what he was thinking about. He watched as flickers of emotions surfaced and died in those beautiful blue eyes. What could possibly be so painful to remember? Surprised, he caught a glimpse of loneliness and emptiness. No, that couldn't be. He must have interpreted it wrong – it was probably just frustration.  
  
Naruto shook his head slightly, clearing it of pointless memories. Instead, he concentrated his anger on the Avian in front of him. As confidently and coldly as he could, he answered Sasuke's challenge.  
  
"I may be weak now, but I will make myself strong."  
  
Sasuke was mildly amazed at the determination that filled the blonde's eyes once again. No, that was definitely not emptiness he saw just then. Contemplating a bit, it occurred to him that this mutt had never once tried to shift. Surprising actually – most of their breed were too cowardly to fight in their human forms. That was the problem with the Canis – they relied on their alter forms way too much in battle. Curious rose in him and he decided to pose the question.  
  
"Why haven't you transformed? Most of your kind would have by now."  
  
Naruto stared, confused by the genuine curiosity he heard in his enemy's voice. What right did this person have to know? He opened his mouth, prepared to hurl an insult but to his surprise, the words he formed betrayed him.  
  
"I can't transform." Inside, Naruto cursed himself. Now the Avian knew his weakness and would kill him. Stiffening, he waited for the inevitable blows.  
  
"Why not?" Surprise showed on the dark boy's face.  
  
Tersely, he responded, "I was born this way. I've never been able to transform." As an afterthought he added in a bitter tone, "I'm a freak."  
  
_Small red and white sparks flickered across the two boys' skins. Their mingling blood slowed as the little orbs of light played along the gashes and healed them. Having done this, they settled on the skin and sank in, leaving a slight tingling feeling that neither boy noticed.  
_  
'Ah,' thought Sasuke, satisfied. 'I've heard about these cripples. Of course the first one to show up in more than a hundred years would be in the Canis clan.'  
  
Soaking his voice in cold contempt he mocked the vulnerable boy. "I agree – you ARE a freak." Sasuke snorted lightly. "No wonder you were put on patrol duty instead of being allowed to fight in the main battle." His eyes flashed as he delivered the final blow. "Nobody wants a cripple like you."  
  
Naruto's face hardened instantly. Rage tightened his features as he unconsciously bared his teeth in a snarl. How. Dare. He. Red tinted his vision and he no longer cared whether he died or not. All that mattered now was this bastard's death. With a growl, he pushed his kunai that was resting against the Avian's pale throat in a forceful slashing motion.  
  
Sasuke's eyes widened as soon as he realized what Naruto was doing. Retaliating, he slashed at the Canis' throat as well, even as it occurred to him that it was too late, that both of them were going to die. He closed his eyes and waited patiently for the wave of pain.  
  
A second passed before the two realized that they stood unharmed. Horrified, they stared at the last remaining sparks that played across the unbroken skin on their necks and quickly disappeared once more. Blades hung limply from their hands as they pulled away from each other. Only then did they become aware of the growing tingling in their left wrists.  
  
The two enemies glanced frantically at their healed wrists before lifting up their heads to stare, bewildered and scared, at the other that stood before them.

* * *

_Preview:_  
"What the hell!!!" Naruto lunged at Sasuke and caught hold of his shirt. "Tell me what the fuck happened! Why can't I hurt you?? What are all these damn sparks?!" he growled.   
Hesitantly, Sasuke spoke, disbelief and shock still evident in his voice. "You aren't going to like this..."

TBC 


	5. The Truth Was Meant to Be

**Disclaimer**: Not mine. Plotline is though – so no stealing!

**A/N**: hi y'all. Back again. Hmmm not sure I like this chappie at all. O well. Too tired and lazy to redo it. Thanks again to all my reviewers – you guys force me to update. Hahah otherwise, I'd start it and then forget about it... and it would sit and collect dust. That'd be sad, no? so BIG BIG thanks for ur wonderful reviews!!

**Noniechan**: no.. I probably won't put a lemon in the story... not sure I can write a decent one yet.. hahah remember – this is only my first fic! Ever!! Lol but thnx for ur support!!

Thank you to **ghostninja85**, **jenniyah**, **Renn**, **Dragonheart**, **Iceheart19**, **Kitty** **Meow**, **Poprice**, **Gisela**, and **Anime** **Lass** too!!!! You guys are awesome!  
  
The Legend of the Thiasa: Chapter 4  
  
Naruto felt panic rising up in him. What the hell just happened? Frantically, he reviewed the events over in his mind. He had tried to kill the Avian soldier and somehow, even though he had intended to apply a lot of force, something had prevented him from doing so. The blade had slid harmlessly off of the black-haired boy's throat. He clenched and unclenched his hand. It felt fine. Then why couldn't he hurt this boy? What was wrong with him?  
  
He glanced down once again at his left wrist. Smooth skin, pale and unmarred, met his vision. Involuntarily, he shivered. This wasn't right. How had the cut healed so fast? And without leaving a scar too. He was starting to get freaked out.  
  
Naruto transferred his wide-eyed gaze to the enemy in front of him. The strange boy was still standing there, staring at his own wrist and hand, apparently feeling as much shock and confusion as the blonde. His eyes shifted. Black eyes connected with blue.  
  
Sasuke tried to force his frozen mind to work. Something about what just happened struck a chord within him. There was something he was missing here – something that would explain what the hell just happened. Shaking, he stumbled over to the nearest tree and leaned against it for support. A quick glance at his opponent showed that they probably weren't going to be fighting again any time soon. His forehead creased as his mind slowly recovered from the shock and kicked into high gear.  
  
Something was nagging him in the back of his mind. He was sure he knew the explanation to all of this... he just couldn't put his finger on it. Damnit! If only he could remember. Suddenly, he wished Itachi were there. His brother would know what had happened – and know how to deal with it. Sighing, Sasuke ran his fingers through his hair and let the dark strands fall around his face. He could feel the blonde's gaze on him.  
  
He closed his eyes and forced himself to relax – to let the solution drift up to the surface of his thoughts. He pictured his mind as a placid lake, clear and smooth. It was a method he had adopted early on in the Academy and though he mostly used it to restrain himself from killing all his fangirls, it worked well for clearing his mind and allowing the most important thoughts to rise to the surface. Breathing deeply, he felt his muscles loosen and his chaotic thoughts gently faded away.  
  
"What the hell are you doing?? You can't fall asleep on me like that!" Sasuke's eyes snapped open as he glared at the annoying blonde.  
  
"I was THINKING. Now, shut up and let me find a way out of this." Sasuke retorted. Eyes halfway closed, he caught a glimpse of the boy opening his mouth again. "And don't you dare interrupt."  
  
Inwardly, he sighed as he restarted his calming process. What had he gotten himself into? Smoothly, Sasuke slipped into a relaxed state. A minute went by in silence.  
  
"OH FUCK!" Naruto flinched at the sudden outburst. Sasuke had pushed himself away from the tree rather quickly and there was a definite wild panic in his dark eyes as he stood there, swaying slightly. "OH FUCK OH FUCK...ooh..." Sasuke lowered his voice to an unbelieving whisper.  
  
Naruto patiently waited a couple more seconds, hoping that the boy would explain the situation to him, but Sasuke continued to curse and mutter under his breath. Finally, Naruto snapped.  
  
"What the hell!!!" Naruto lunged at Sasuke and caught hold of his shirt. "Tell me what the fuck happened! Why can't I hurt you?? What are all these damn sparks? Why the hell am I healed?!" he growled.  
  
Hesitantly, Sasuke spoke after a few seconds. "You aren't going to like this..." he took a deep breath. "Why don't we sit down?"  
  
Grudgingly, Naruto let go of him and plopped himself down on the soft grass. Sasuke joined him and gathered his thoughts as to how to break the news to this boy. Surprised, he suddenly realized that they still did not know each other's names.  
  
"What's your name?" he blurted.  
  
Naruto, still fuming, raised an eyebrow. "Naruto." He hesitated a split second. "Umino Naruto."  
  
"I'm Uchiha Sasuke." An awkward silence.  
  
Abruptly, Sasuke sighed heavily. "Naruto, how are mates chosen in your clan?"  
  
"I'm not that sure. I never asked, and no one ever told me," came the surprised response.  
  
"Well, I'm going to assume that it's the same for the two clans. Basically, if two people like each other, they begin a courtship. Sometimes, this courtship lasts for weeks, sometimes for years. Eventually, if the two feel confident enough about their relationship, they will usually ask their friends, family, and mentors for their opinions as to whether the two are suited for each other or not. If the feedback is positive, the two will perform a mating ceremony." Sasuke paused, feeling very uncomfortable. He wasn't used to talking so much and on such an odd subject too. He breathed deeply before continuing.  
  
"The mating ceremony used to be very complex and difficult, but over the centuries, it has become more refined and simple. Almost anyone can perform it now. But, the biggest mystery about the ceremony is that somehow, it will chose people who are _meant_ for each other and bond them. That's why there is no such thing as a broken bond or a regretted bonding."  
  
Impatiently, Naruto interrupted. "What does all that have to do with anything?"  
  
Sasuke turned slightly to stare at him. "Naruto. The ceremony is performed by slitting the left wrists and holding the wounds together. The sharing of one's lifeblood with the person one is destined to mate with, triggers the bonding."  
  
Naruto stared back, uncomprehending. "So?"  
  
Sasuke growled in frustration. Just how stupid was this boy?! "Don't you get it?? We've accidentally performed the ceremony. We're _bonded_. We. Are. Mates. For. _Life_."  
  
Horror spread across Naruto's face as the implications of their situation dawned on him. His mouth opened and closed uselessly, as he was left, for once in his life, speechless. Stupidly, he realized why Sasuke had wanted him to sit down. As the initial shock wore off though, he recovered his voice.  
  
"No fucking way! Shit! What are we going to do now?? I'm too young to be bonded! What am I going to tell Iruka? Why am I bonded to a _boy_? You're _Avian_! You're a freaking BIRD! How the hell could an Avian bond with a Canis?! What the hell have you done?!?!? How - "  
  
"Shut up! I don't know any of these answers! And I haven't done anything! _WE_ did!!"  
  
Naruto calmed down a bit. Inside though, he was still panicking. Today was definitely not a good day. Wait. Maybe he was dreaming. Yes! That must be it. In a few minutes, he'd wake up in his familiar bed to the familiar sound of Iruka yelling at him and the familiar smell of breakfast. Yes. That's exactly it. He would wake up and none of this craziness would have happened. He wouldn't have killed anyone, he wouldn't have fought Sasuke, he wouldn't be bonded to Sasuke. Hell, he wouldn't even know Sasuke. Excellent. Having made sense of all this, Naruto started nodding to himself.  
  
Sasuke watched, annoyed, as Naruto lapsed into silent thought. When he started nodding though and looking smug, Sasuke decided he couldn't take it anymore.  
  
"What are you smiling about?" he said coldly.  
  
"I've figured it out, see. You are a dream! HAHAHAH! Only a dream!! Once I wake up, everything will be perfect once again. I just hafta get out of this retarded dream-"  
  
"What the hell are you talking about – this isn't a dream!" Sasuke fumed. Anger crept in and he sent a punch to Naruto's head. A second passed before he realized what was wrong. His fist lay an inch from the blonde's head as if it had met with an invisible barrier. Gritting his teeth, he tried forcing his fist forward, only to discover more resistance. Sasuke felt tiny waves of nausea run through his body as his arm shook with the effort. Naruto grinned at him in obvious nonchalance, still thinking that it was all a harmless dream. The nausea quickly grew stronger as Sasuke continued to try and hurt Naruto. Pain wracked his body and blackness started creeping in around the edges of his vision. With a snarl of frustration, he finally gave in and withdrew his fist. Immediately, the pain disappeared.  
  
His anger faded, to be replaced with genuine confusion. What was going on? He reached out for Naruto once again, hesitantly. Gently, he placed a hand on his arm and shook it.  
  
"Naruto, this is not a dream. I'm real. This is real. So snap out of it."  
  
"Prove it," Naruto laughed.  
  
Clamping down on his anger, Sasuke replied through clenched teeth, "I hear Avian sentries flying this way. Hurry and go back home. When you do wake up in the morning, if the cuts on your upper arm are still there, then you'll know that this isn't a dream. And once you know that this is real, try asking around about the consequences of bonding. Meet me at Miehra Lake tomorrow morning at noon. Now, go."  
  
Naruto nodded happily as he stood. "Bye, Sasuke!" he said before scampering off into the woods.  
  
Sasuke stared unhappily after him for a second or two. What exactly had he gotten himself into? Shaking his head, he forced himself to put the recent events aside and think only of his duty. Quickly, he shifted and launched himself into the air. He had lied – there were no sentries coming, he had just wanted to be rid of Naruto so he could think alone.  
  
From his vantage point in the air, he could see the small figure running through the trees with his keen eyes. Turning his head slightly, he caught sight of the former battlefield. It was littered with carcasses - bird, canine, and human. He couldn't tell who had won this battle and in a sudden burst of despondency, he didn't really care. Changing his course, he headed westward to the Tower. Sasuke just wanted to go home.

* * *

Naruto awoke slowly. In his hazy mind, he remarked to himself that he just had a very interesting dream. It was insane, actually. Naruto snorted softly to himself. Imagine! Being bonded with a boy! And not only that, but an AVIAN boy too! Thank goodness it was only a dream. His mind becoming clearer now, Naruto moved to stretch lazily as he yawned. A sharp pain shot through his left arm when he tried to raise it. Surprised and curious, he pushed back the sleeve of his PJ and turned his head to the left. Shock ran through his body as he stared at the dark maroon slashes descending down his arm. What the hell? Numbly, flashes of yesterday's events rushed back to him.  
  
"Naruto!! Get up!" Iruka's holler came through the thin curtain. "It's already 11!"  
  
Naruto groaned. Squeezing his eyes shut stubbornly, he called back, "Five more minutes!"  
  
"No! Don't make me come in there!"  
  
Naruto groaned loudly again. Something nagged at the back of his mind. He furrowed his brows, thinking hard. What was it he had to do...? His eyes widened as he remembered suddenly that he was supposed to meet Sasuke at noon. Shoot! He was supposed to research about bonds too!  
  
"Arrgh!" the blonde growled as he forced himself to leave the warm bed. Stupid Sasuke. Stupid bonds. He changed quickly and stumbled into the main room where Iruka sat, reading a book.  
  
"About time," he grumbled. "Honestly, I tried waking you 7 different times and – HEY! Just where do you think you're going?!"  
  
Naruto paused guiltily, halfway out the door. "Um... I just want to see Shikamaru. Y'know... tell him about yesterday's battle." Inwardly, he squirmed at the lie and hoped that Iruka would not notice the blush that was slowly creeping up on his cheeks.  
  
Thankfully, his father was too preoccupied with his book to notice. "Ok then, as long as you're back before nightfall. Just because you fought your first battle doesn't mean that you can ignore all the usual rules, y'know. You still need to..." the rest of his words were lost as Naruto bolted out the door and into the relative safety of the empty corridor.  
  
Heaving a sigh of relief at his escape, he started walking to Shikamaru's house. He hadn't lied about that part at least. Shika was probably the smartest person he knew – he hoped that his knowledge extended to the matter of bonding and mates. Plus, another great thing about Shika was that he was too lazy to be curious. Which was perfectly fine with Naruto at the moment. His feet carried him on the familiar route and soon, he found himself outside of his friend's home.  
  
"Shika!" Naruto called. After a minute or two, a spiky brown head appeared from behind the curtain.  
  
"What?" came the surly response.  
  
Naruto grabbed his wrist and forced him outside, where he proceeded to drag him down the hallway towards the nearest outside exit. Finally, they emerged through the hidden door into the hot midday sun. Immediately, Naruto threw himself down on the carpet of grass and motioned for Shika to do the same.  
  
Grumbling, Shika sat. "What did you want?"  
  
Naruto grinned. "Is there anything wrong with just wanting to hang out?"  
  
Shika sighed and waited patiently. He had known Naruto for a while now and he never wanted to 'just hang out'.  
  
A moment or two passed. "ACTUALLY. I was wondering what you would know about lifebonds." Naruto said casually.  
  
Shika was surprised. That was certainly... random. Maybe Naruto had finally found a love interest. He shrugged. "Well what do you want to know?"  
  
Naruto thought about it for a bit. "Well... I already know about the bonding ceremony... Are there any ... um... nuances to being in a bond?"  
  
"Yeah," the brown-haired boy responded. "There are several. First of all, the development of a bond is generally divided into two parts – with the first being shorter and the second being for the rest of a person's life. The major thing about bonds is that the bondmates share telepathy. Also, strong emotions are sent across the bond, which is why if one mate is feeling bad, the other will also feel bad. Most people think that it's because of this aspect of bonds that mates always die together. This emotional and mental bond starts in the first stage and spans the second. During the first stage, the mates will feel a strong desire to be near each other. When they part for a long distance, for any reason, during that time, they feel an ache in their chests that grows exponentially when it's ignored. It wears off when the second stage starts. Generally though, that part's not a problem, since newly bonded couples are so in love, they never leave each other's side anyway."  
  
Shika snorted lightly and looked curiously at Naruto. "Why do you want to know all this anyway?"  
  
Naruto turned red. "Ah.." he stammered.  
  
"Never mind," Shika smirked inwardly. He knew it. It was probably some girl.  
  
"Anyway, another major thing about bonds is that mates cannot hurt each other physically. Nobody knows how exactly it works. They can hurt each other emotionally, but as they share emotions, it's not usually worth it. In the second stage, they also start to blend their dislikes or likes together." Shika tilted his head and thought. "That's about it, really."  
  
"Thanks a lot Shikamaru! I owe you!" Naruto grinned. He stood up. "I have to go now though, I'm late for a meeting." He turned to go.  
  
"Wait. One last thing." Naruto turned back and met Shika's serious gaze.  
  
"There is no known way to break a bond."  
  
Naruto stared, a sinking feeling starting in his stomach. "But... what if somebody doesn't like their bondmate?" Or even KNOW their bondmate? He added silently.  
  
Shika yawned slightly. "That's impossible. A bond only forms between people who are MEANT to be together. Ultimately, Kyarae chooses mates - not us."  
  
Shakily, Naruto nodded at him, turned and ran out in the direction of Miehra Lake.

TBC

* * *

**Preview**:  
  
_"Shit! You said it wouldn't rain!" Naruto yelled over the noise of the downpour. "Now what do we do?"  
  
Sasuke grabbed Naruto and dragged him into the relative safety of the trees. There, he shook his head violently, sending droplets of water everywhere, before he answered. "We'll wait until it stops and then we'll go back, dobe."  
  
As soon as he finished speaking, a loud crack filled the air. Both of them whirled around and stared, horrified, as the bridge was finally overwhelmed by the rising waters of the river. With a second magnificent crack, the entire thing collapsed into the rushing river, taking with it, the two boys' hope of getting off the island. _


	6. Tendrils of Compassion

**Disclaimer**: Naruto = not mine ::wails::  
**A/N**: Ano.. Sorry guys, for the long wait... ." I started writing this chapter soon after I posted the last one and then in the middle of it, I hit writers block... then I was towed away on vacation and I had no chance to work on it!! So yes, I'm very very very sorry. But yay! Here it is! The next chapter! Personally, I dislike how this chapter turned out... don't know why but somehow it just doesn't seem right... so I apologize for the crappiness beforehand.

**Demonic Inc**: the blending of the likes and dislikes doesn't necessarily destroy their personality. It's not that strong anyway, more like, if Sasuke loved .. um... M&Ms, Naruto would eventually learn to tolerate them, but not necessarily like them. Does that make sense? Itachi is still nice because... well... you'll see later on. I've changed the timeline considerably to fit into the plot. Sorry bout that if it bothers you but shrug its for the sake of the story. I call Shikamaru Shika because.. umm... secretly? I'm too lazy to type out his entire name.. shhhh. But yeah, I thought other people shorten his name as well.. correct me if I'm wrong. Thanks for your feedback. XD

Thank you again, so so so much to **Kitty Meow**, **Lili**, **Someone**, **Renn**, **GhostNinja85**, **Izumi**, **Monkan**, **Bishiehuggler**, **Ein** **Dwang**, **Nangthida**, and **Doodlepye**!!!! You guys are amazing!  
  
The Legend of the Thiasa: Chapter 5  
Tendrils of Compassion  
  
Sasuke's mind raced as he soared high above the Avian forests. He had just come from a meeting with Lee. The thick-browed boy had enthusiastically explained the concept of bonding to him. Sasuke had nearly developed a headache watching his zeal – not to mention that horrible green suit. He repressed a shudder at the thought of Lee's fashion tastes. It was worth the trouble in the end, though. There was much more to being bonded than Sasuke had assumed. Today had not been a good day so far. He had awoken this morning panting and a silent scream in his throat. The damned nightmares were getting more and more frequent – and bloody. The faces of all the men and women he had killed in his bloodlust haunted him. In sleep they would come – demanding why, why, why. It was only when he pushed their faces out of his mind and cleared his mind that he almost fell out of bed in shock. He could feel something foreign in his mind and for a few minutes, he had panicked that the Canis High Shinobi had developed a new jutsu for spying. His fears had been slightly dispelled by Lee's explanation of telepathy but not by much. Still digesting the information, Sasuke continued to fly south toward Miehra Lake, sunlight glinting off his shimmering black feathers.  
  
A few minutes later, he reluctantly descended on Miehra Territory. He hated giving up the thrill of flight. But he had heard stories from the older men of how one could become Lost in the joy. Slowly, the Lost would relinquish his mind to his bird side – until there was nothing left of the former man. He would spend days and months alone, in his bird form, until an unknown force would pull him back to the clan. There, the transformation wore off – for Kyarae had not meant for them to be pure animals - and the human husk that remained would no longer be able to change. Looking into the eyes of the Lost was like looking into a doll's eyes. There was nothing there – no soul to complete the body. Sasuke did nothing to stop the shudder that ran through his body this time. He could not let that happen to him. Stubbornly, he pushed away the depressing thoughts and surveyed the scenery.  
  
Before him, a worn dirt road meandered through a meadow dotted with patches of trees. Wildflowers bloomed in abundance, taking advantage of the plentiful space and the summer sun. Sasuke started walking down the road, following the signs to the lake. As he rounded a bend, he came across a couple with their small daughter. All three were laughing and Sasuke could tell they were Canis from their slightly pointed canines and the typical brown and blond hair. They became aware of Sasuke's presence and as they passed him, gave him a friendly nod that he returned with a slight smile. Sasuke sighed, wishing that all the land could be like Miehra territory.  
  
Miehra had been established as a neutral ground many centuries ago. The two kings then had agreed to the establishment of vacation houses and recreational businesses there. Perhaps they had both been in awe of the beauty there. In any case, even though it was officially neutral, the two clans still remained distant – the Avian settling on the east side of the lake and the Canis on the west. It was more the awkwardness of integrating than lack of desire to do so that kept them apart. Still, Sasuke thought, he would raise no questions by being with Naruto here, not even from the Brae clan that had appointed themselves as guardians and keepers of the territory.  
  
As if summoned by the thought, Sasuke suddenly became aware of his name being called repeatedly. He recognized the voice and kept walking, although he slowed his pace a bit. When Naruto finally caught up to him, he was panting too much to yell at Sasuke. Sasuke smirked and restrained himself from taunting the boy further. When Naruto managed to eventually catch his breath, he exploded.  
  
"Damn you, Sasuke! I was calling your name for well over a minute! The least you could do was wait for me!" the blonde fumed.  
  
"I never heard you." Came the cool reply.  
  
Naruto mumbled something under his breath that sounded remarkably close to a curse on all arrogant, bastard birds before he shot a death glare at Sasuke. Sasuke felt a bubble of laughter nearly escape him and was shocked. He hadn't truly laughed since that first day when the bloodlust curse overtook him – let alone been caught unawares by laughter. How long had it been? Five? Six years? He had lost count. He regarded his companion with wonder. Just how had Naruto done that?  
  
Naruto, oblivious to Sasuke's surprise, continued to grumble. He was on a very nice rant about how he deserved respect as well when he stopped in mid-sentence. Sasuke shifted his eyes from the ground to the blonde. Following the direction of Naruto's stare, he found himself taking in the sight of the main village gates. Figures dressed in white could be seen, keeping guard in their stiff formality. He gave a start when Naruto gave a whoop of joy and ran down the road.  
  
"Neji!!!"  
  
By the time Sasuke had reached the gate, Naruto was already conversing happily with a long-haired boy dressed in white. Sasuke caught sight of the boy's eyes, pure white with no pupil and immediately realized that he must be one of the Brae clan. It was another five minutes before Naruto could be dragged away from Neji. Apparently, the sight of his old friend had lifted his spirits immensely, Sasuke mused as he half-listened to the blonde's chatter. It seemed as though Naruto came here often to escape the confines of his home.  
  
Sasuke led Naruto to the banks of the Lower Miehra River where after a few minutes of walking, they came upon a bridge. Naruto's chatter stopped as he eyed the small island on the other end of the intricate bridge. He watched as Sasuke fumbled in his pockets before drawing out a folded slip of paper. Sasuke unfolded it and placed it against one of the posts of the bridge before taking a kunai and tacking it firmly in place. He stepped back to admire his work and Naruto leaned forward to read: "_Keep Away: Unstable Bridge_".  
  
"Now no one will disturb us," Sasuke explained dryly as he stepped onto the wooden planks and crossed over to the small island. Naruto followed him dutifully. Halfway across, he spared a glance toward the sky and took note of the gathering clouds with worry.  
  
"Ne, Sasuke," Naruto asked. "D'you think it'll rain?"  
  
Sasuke shook his head stiffly. "No."  
  
"But, Sasuke –"  
  
"It won't rain, ok?"  
  
Naruto's reply was cut off as they reached a tiny clearing. They had been following a small dirt path for the past couple of minutes and now it seemed as if they had finally reached their destination. Weak beams of sunlight filtered through the leafy canopy and the shadows they cast seemed to dance in the wind. The grass in the clearing was flat and trodden down and it was apparent that this site had been used often by picnicking families.  
  
Sasuke sighed as he leaned his back against a tree and slid gracefully down to a sitting position. Without glancing up, he motioned for Naruto to do the same. A second later, the blonde joined him warily. The silence that filled the air was tense at first, but as the minutes trickled by, it eased. Surprisingly, Sasuke broke the stillness first.  
  
"Naruto?" Sasuke's voice was low and hesitant. "Why can't you shift?"  
  
Across from him, the boy stiffened. Defensiveness instinctively sprung up in his eyes, but not before Sasuke glimpsed the deep anguish it hid. "Why do your eyes turn red?" Naruto retorted, avoiding the question.  
  
This time, it was Sasuke's turn to tense. His mind flashed to that first horrible day, when the Bloodlust curse had first surfaced. He had run to Itachi, crying, and his brother had explained his family's burden to him. He sighed mentally. Itachi was always so much better at controlling the curse than he was. Then again, Itachi was better at pretty much everything.  
  
"Who's Itachi?" Naruto interrupted Sasuke's thoughts.  
  
Sasuke started. Had he accidentally said it out loud? He quickly replayed the past minute. No, he was quite sure that his thoughts had remained in his head. His brow furrowed as he stared at Naruto.  
  
"I never said anything about Itachi."  
  
"Yes you – "Naruto's features loosened in confusion. Had Sasuke spoken? No, he hadn't. Then how the hell had the name Itachi come to him? It had just ... appeared in his mind, out of nowhere. But somehow, it had seemed as if Sasuke was speaking.  
  
Meanwhile, Sasuke was furiously putting two and two together. It didn't take him long to figure out what had happened. He recalled now, what Lee had told him about telepathy between bondmates. Tentatively, he tried calling Naruto's name in his mind. Nothing. A small frown appeared on his lips. He was sure that it was the telepathy. He tried again to reach Naruto, but this time, imagined the link between them as a bridge and sent his thought down it.  
  
[Naruto?]  
  
The boy in question yelped and leapt to his feet. Sasuke's voice had been in his mind! Swiftly, Sasuke calmed Naruto down and explained how to send his thoughts.  
  
"This is freaky. I mean –"  
  
"Naruto." Sasuke spoke. "Try talking with your mind more, to practice, ok?"  
  
"But I don't want to! I don't want a filthy Avian in my head!"  
  
Sasuke's black eyes seemed to darken even more. "It's not like I enjoy being bonded with a mutt! But it's happened and I can't change it. What if you were hurt or in a losing fight? I die if you die! That's why we need to practice mindspeech, dobe."  
  
Naruto clenched his fists. "Don't call me that, you bastard!"  
  
The two boys bickered for a few minutes more, before huffily settling down to practice their newly discovered mindspeech. Both of them quickly became absorbed by the intricate workings of it and the complexity of shielding the thoughts that they didn't want to transmit. Neither of them noticed the angry clouds drawing closer, nor the distant booming of thunder. It was only when the first couple of drops fell that they realized. In seconds, the rain had become a sheet of water and the lightning flashes and thunder filled the air.  
  
Naruto ran outside of the cloister of trees to the banks of the island. To his horror, the banks and the bottom edges of the bridge were already underwater. He realized with a sinking feeling that the storm had probably come from upstream. He turned, blue eyes flashing with anger, to Sasuke who had followed close behind.  
  
"Shit! You said it wouldn't rain, you bastard!" Naruto yelled over the noise of the downpour. "Now what do we do?"  
  
Sasuke grabbed Naruto and dragged him into the relative safety of the trees. There, he shook his head violently, sending droplets of water everywhere, before he answered. His dark eyes were calm and cold. "We'll wait until it stops and the water goes down and then we'll go back, dobe."  
  
As soon as he finished speaking, a loud crack filled the air. Both of them whirled around and stared, horrified, as the bridge was finally overwhelmed by the rising waters of the river. With a second magnificent crack, the entire thing collapsed into the rushing river, taking with it, the two boys' hope of getting off the island.  
  
A second passed in stunned silence before Naruto exploded in panic.  
  
"Damnit! Oh Shit! What do we do now?! I'm stuck on a freaking tiny island with a freaking bird for company! There's no food, no shelter – shit! What will Iruka say? I'm supposed to be home by nightfall – "  
  
"Shut up, will you?" Sasuke demanded wearily. How they hell could Naruto have so much energy? He considered their situation. He was stuck on an island that was getting smaller by the minute with a hyperactive Canis. They had no food, no shelter, but plenty of water. No search teams would be out since no one knew they were there. The dark haired boy's expression grew grim. This was definitely not good.  
  
He sighed aloud this time in exasperation and suggested that the two of the retreat back to the clearing they were in, seeing how the waters were still rising, and the place was as near to the center of the island as they could get. Naruto agreed, his eyes still flashing, and stormed back through the trees. Sasuke allowed himself a grimace. This was going to be a long night.

* * *

It was later that night. The rain had not stopped, but it had slowed considerably to a light summer shower. Faint moonlight fought through the clouds, casting a sickly glow upon the tops of the trees. Beneath the trees however, the light could not penetrate, and the two boys were left in near darkness. The ground was soaked and muddy, so they were forced to sleep on a small mound that had been kept pretty dry by the thick foliage that covered it. Turning their backs to each other, both trying to pretend the other wasn't there, the two boys fell slowly into an uneasy sleep.  
  
Their breathing gradually evened and deepened and both were fast asleep when the rain finally stopped. Naruto shifted in his sleep, his eyes flickering behind closed lids. He was usually a very deep sleeper who rarely had dreams, but tonight was different. Images flickered through his head, making him tense unconsciously. The images were so strong, so vivid. He whirled through the dream. There was blood everywhere. Everything was red. So red. He looked down at his hands and saw that they were tainted crimson. He tried scrubbing them against his pants to no avail. With anguish, he looked up in the cold eyes of a stranger.  
  
It reached out a pleading hand that dripped blood. Red covered the man everywhere. 'Why?' he whispered. He was quickly swept away and replaced by another stranger – a girl this time, no more than 15. Naruto saw that her torso was torn apart and again she looked at him with beseeching eyes. 'Why?' she echoed.  
  
Person after person flickered through the dream and Naruto could only watch helplessly, unable to tear his gaze away from them. Every one of them whispered to his soul, tore at it with their anguish until it seemed as if he would die from the guilt. With amazing clarity, he knew that he had killed each and every one of them. Once, he cried out in grief, "Forgive me!" but he saw their cold faces and knew their answer before they opened their mouths. 'No.'  
  
Naruto's soul was finally beaten and with a final cry, he was torn from the dream into reality. His eyes snapped open and he sat up abruptly, panting. He raised his trembling hands to look at them and to his relief, he saw that they were clean. He shuddered at the memory of the nightmare. The blonde glanced over at Sasuke. The Avian was shaking and muttering things in his sleep. Quickly forgetting his own distress, Naruto's brow creased in worry. Leaning in closer, he caught a few of the mumbled words.  
  
"No... I'm sorry... sorry... forgive...no...please..." the last word was said with such raw sorrow and desperation that Naruto felt his heart reach out. So that dream had been Sasuke's. He would have to talk to him in the morning – figure out a way to shield themselves in their sleep. He turned slightly to go back to sleep, but another strangled cry escaped from his bondmate.  
  
"...please..."  
  
Naruto turned back and observed his mate, worry showing in his eyes. Even though Sasuke was a jerk, he could admit that he cared about him just a tiny, tiny bit. Just because whatever happened to Sasuke affected him too, of course. Nothing else. He reached out tentatively and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. A shudder ran through Sasuke's body and his fists clenched. Naruto scooted closer to him and started to stroke his hair.  
  
"Shh... You're ok. Relax. You're ok now. Shh..." with Naruto's soothing, Sasuke gradually stopped shaking. His face remained tight though, and Naruto thought back to what Iruka would have done. Suddenly, he remembered the lullaby his father had sung to him often when he was little and couldn't sleep. What were the words again? Slowly, they came to him, and he sang it softly to his mate.  
  
"_The moon is smiling at you, love.   
The stars have risen just for you.   
Hold still and hold on   
The best is yet to come.  
  
Rain will wash your troubles away   
Look up, little one, for me   
Hold still and hold on   
The best is yet to come.  
  
My love will keep you warm   
My love will give you hope   
Hold still and hold on   
The best is yet to come_."  
  
Naruto ended his singing with a sigh and glanced down at Sasuke. The dark haired boy was still now, his face relaxed and his breathing deep. Naruto allowed a small smile to grace his lips as he gazed at his mate. Sasuke looked almost ... nice when he was sleeping. Naruto shook his head quickly. What was with these thoughts? First he had been bonded to the Avain, now he was beginning to like him and even sing lullabies to him?! He was in deep now and sinking deeper by the minute.  
  
Sighing he touched Sasuke's shoulder one last time to make sure he was calm. Naruto's hand accidentally brushed against his bare arm and the blonde stiffened. Sasuke was freezing! Gently, he placed the back of his hand against his cheek, only to draw back quickly in dismay. Kyarae! He was like ice.  
  
Naruto gazed at Sasuke with troubled eyes. What should he do? He considered his options. He could leave Sasuke be, and get on with his own sleep. He could wake Sasuke up. He could build a fire for him. He could warm him up himself. Instantly he knew the first option was impossible. Sasuke would probably get sick or something. The second option was no good either. He didn't have the heart to wake Sasuke up, especially when the boy had just slipped into peaceful slumber. A glance around the surroundings eliminated the third option as well. There was little to no wood nearby and any wood that was there was most likely wet. That left the last option. Naruto blushed faintly and struggled inwardly for a minute or two. Finally a second touch to Sasuke's cheek convinced him.  
  
Cheeks flaming, Naruto laid gingerly down next to his bondmate, so as not to wake him. Carefully, he scooted close to Sasuke and placed hesitant arms around him. Naruto shivered as the boy's cold body met his. Damn, he was like ice! Sasuke, feeling the new source of warmth, suddenly turned and moved closer. By now, Naruto's entire face felt like it was on fire. He thanked Kyarae that no one would witness this. Slowly, his tenseness drained away as his exhaustion caught up with him. His eyes fluttered shut and the last thing Naruto remembered thinking was that it felt almost natural to have Sasuke in his arms.  
  
Far above, the clouds drifted away to reveal a brilliant expanse of stars. And the soft music of the night continued on.

* * *

**Preview**:  
  
_The two boys were joyous. In the middle of the river, Naruto turned and splashed Sasuke, who had been following close behind. Mischievous laughter burst out of the blonde that was soon cut short by Sasuke's massive wave of retaliation. Naruto sputtered angrily.  
  
"Bastard!"  
  
Sasuke's usually emotionless eyes shone with amusement. "You started it."  
  
Naruto opened his mouth but could find no retort. He HAD started it. So, instead, he snapped his mouth closed and proceeded to fling as much water as he could at Sasuke for revenge. In seconds it had turned into a full fledged water fight.  
  
Thirty minutes later, both boys were exhausted as they crawled up on the opposite bank. Naruto, feeling the exhilaration of freedom once more, managed to somehow find a new burst of energy. He ran up and down the bank, shouting insane insults at the island that had held them captive, then proceeded to perform a victory dance complete with all the yelling. Sasuke watched, perplexed and slightly amused. How the HELL did that boy have so much energy??  
  
Eventually though, Naruto calmed down and trotted over to where Sasuke was sitting.  
  
"Ne, Sasuke!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"We really should take off our clothes to let them dry before going home."  
  
Sasuke's head shot up as he stared incredulously at Naruto and instantly regretted it. The blonde's clothes were still soaked from the swim and they clung to his body damply. Toned muscles could be seen through the wet fabric and it left very little to imagination.  
  
Naruto pouted. "We can't go home with wet clothes. They'll want to know how they got wet."  
  
Slowly, the words penetrated Sasuke's mind and he processed them. Surprisingly, Naruto was right, for once. He nodded hesitantly. _


	7. Building Bridges

**

* * *

Disclaimer**: Naruto is not mine. I can only scramble to bask in the edges of its beauty. 

**A/N**: sorry guys for such a long wait. My brother is seriously on the computer like.. 24/7. and since we share the computer... conflicts all around. Anyhoo. I think this is my longest chapter yet? It took me forever to get thro it. It's kind of dull, but necessary.

Don't worry, I promise that the next couple of chapters will be MUCH MUCH more interesting.. .

**Ghostninja85**: see? If you prod me enuf I'll update! Hahah thnx for the support!

**Iceheart19**: the Brae clan is pretty much the Hyuuga family. Their alter forms are bears and they are the guardians of Miehra Lake

**Izumi**: yup, he did kill all those people. When his bloodlust overtakes him, he can't really control himself. But then afterwards, he feels all guilty – which is why he dreams about the people he killed.

**Miako**: yup, I've read most of her books, but a really long time ago.. so I've forgotten most of them XD and I purposely dropped the N in AviaN coz .. umm.. I dunno. I wanted my fic to be different from her books.

**The BirdFox Hybrid Productions**: I've already added the lil GaaNeji hints. Yay! ::munches messily on cookies::

**Lili**: hahah what can I say... ur always the best supporter ever. _I heart you!_ Heheh I'll cya when school starts. ::wails::

And **thank you so so much to all my other reviewers**!!!! You guys seriously make me smile! 

**Important Note: Updates for this fic will slow down as the school year starts. I'm a junior this year, and what with my four weighted classes, two of which are AP classes... not to mention the standardized tests... But don't worry, I'll try my very best to keep working on it during my few moments of spare time! Thank you all for understanding! Kisses and hugs all around.**

The Legend of the Thiasa

_Chapter 6: Building Bridges_

Iruka paced nervously around the small room. The familiar rhythm of his steps soothed him, but only somewhat. After all these years of stressing over Naruto, he had memorized the steps between the two walls. Mentally, he counted each footstep to distract himself from Naruto's tardiness. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Turn. One. Two –

Iruka's head shot up at a small sound from the corridor outside. Faint hope flickered in his eyes but quickly died as Naruto failed to emerge through the doorway. Damnit! Where was he? He knew how serious his father was about curfew. Iruka knew that underneath Naruto's loud, obnoxious exterior, the kid really did care about him and never broke his rule. For that, Iruka was grateful. It was just too risky for a young Canis to be out during the night, let alone the heir to the throne!

The worried man's lips thinned as visions of Naruto's circumstances assaulted him. What if Naruto had been attacked by a group of Avian? What if he was chained inside their horrible prisons at this very moment? What if he was badly hurt? What if he was dead?

Iruka shook his head vehemently to try and dispel his morbid thoughts. Stop that! Naruto was probably fine. He had probably... eaten some ramen and fallen asleep somewhere. Yes that was it. Iruka chided himself gently. Naruto was, after all, a teenager. Teenagers made mistakes all the time.

Still. He couldn't shake the feeling of wrongness from him. Sighing, he compromised. If Naruto was still not home in two hours time, he would go to Tsunade.

The two hours passed so slowly, Iruka had gotten up several times to check his clock's working condition. But finally, they were up and Iruka bolted out the door. Taking a few running steps, he realized what a sight he was and slowed down to a brisk walk. His urgency carried him to the Grand Residence where he flung open the door, not bothering to knock.

He was met with an empty reception room. Damnit! Iruka gritted his teeth and tried to think calmly. A polite cough materialized from the corner. Iruka swung his head toward the direction it came from to see a guard he had missed. Now that he looked more closely, he could see various different guards situated throughout the room. Another slight cough came. "May I help you sir?"

"Yes. I need to see the queen immediately," Inwardly he cursed. The guard was one that had been admitted after he had left the High Shinobis. He would not recognize that he had been the former Fifth and probably would not let him in that easily.

"I'm sorry sir," the guard explained, exasperated. "It's one in the morning and the queen is sleeping. You'll have to come back tomorrow – public reception hours are from 2-5 in the afternoon."

Damnit! It still irked him even though Iruka had expected that response. He quickly ran through his options and decided that he would have to use the document Tsunade had given him. Fishing through his inner pockets while the guard watched apathetically, it took him several moments to find the creased piece of paper. He finally pulled that tattered piece out with a triumphant grin and waved it in the guard's direction.

"This document says that I am entitled to see Her Majesty at any time," as he spoke he walked quickly over to the guard. Frowning slightly, the guard took the wrinkled piece of paper and glanced over it. He handed it back and bowed.

"My apologies, sir. Stay right here and I'll go fetch the queen," with that, he turned and slipped through the doors he was guarding. Iruka sighed and waited patiently. A few minutes passed before a sleepy Tsunade was escorted through the doors. Her blonde hair was tussled and hung loosely down her back, free of its usual ties and she was still attempting to tie her dark red robe when she appeared. Brown eyes gazed hazily and warily around before catching sight of Iruka.

She yawned loudly. "Iruka. It's one in the morning. This had better be important."

"It is," Iruka said tightly, his fists involuntarily clenching. His eyes flickered to the various guards standing throughout the room and Tsunade understood.

"Guards," she called. "If you would leave us, please." The guards shuffled away, confident that their queen knew what she was doing. Besides, Tsunade clearly could take care of herself, sleepy or not. When the last sounds of footsteps had faded away, she gestured to a couch tucked away in a corner.

"Why don't we sit down?" Iruka complied and moments later had poured out all his worries about Naruto's lateness. Tsunade's countenance grew grimmer with each detail. The very thought that their future king was out there in the open at night with no protection whatsoever scared her to no end. She breathed deeply, trying to clear her mind of emotions so she could think clearly. It wouldn't do to have her affections for the energetic youth cloud her judgment.

After a few minutes of silent contemplation, she was forced to come to the only solution she had. Sighing, she told Iruka. "We can't do anything." Seeing his mouth opening and his features tightening, she hurried to explain. "Iruka, think clearly about this. It's late at night and the only active soldiers at the moment are on guard duty. We can't take them away from their posts to search for what they think is an insignificant teen. We have no idea where he went, either. Even if we did send out search teams, we wouldn't have a clue as to where to start. Naruto's probably fine. He can take care of himself."

The former Fifth mulled over her explanation unhappily. She was right and he hated it. Grimacing, he slowly nodded his consent but let his worry show in his eyes. Tsunade, seeing the emotion, patted his hand understandably. "He'll be fine."

"...I hope so."

* * *

Sasuke shifted in his sleep. He felt sunlight penetrating his closed lids and stubbornly burrowed his face deeper into his pillow. Strange, he couldn't remember a time when his pillow had been this warm. He breathed deeply, preparing to slip back into slumber. He smelled a heady scent of vanilla, ramen, and oddly enough, wind. It smelled good. His breathing evened and slowly, he realized that he could hear a constant thumping sound. What the hell? Forcing his eyes to crack open, he was met with an expanse of bright orange. He ignored his body's protests at the loss of warmth and pulled away slightly. Shocked, he stared into Naruto's peaceful, sleeping face. It was only now that he became aware of his mate's arms draped loosely around him. What. The. Hell?!?! His shock faded away and coming to his senses, Sasuke scrambled quickly to his feet and stared disbelievingly at Naruto.

Naruto stirred at Sasuke's sudden movements. He wondered hazily why his body suddenly felt so chilled. Groaning, he forced his right eye to crack open. He saw ground and leaves and Sasuke's feet and – the fuck? Both eyes wide open now, he titled his head and swept his gaze up to meet Sasuke's furious face. He frowned slightly. Why the hell was he so angry? It wasn't like he had done anything to him and – oh wait. Memories of last night flashed through Naruto's mind and he realized that Sasuke must have woken up to find himself in his arms. Naruto blushed wildly and attempted to hide his burning face by struggling into a sitting position. He waited for the inevitable explosion.

He didn't have to wait long. "Why the fuck were you holding me?" Sasuke's voice held a raw anger that made Naruto shiver but underlying it, he could almost hear a thread of embarrassment. He raised his gaze to met Sasuke's and saw with a tiny bit of amusement that his cheeks were tinted slightly pink. His thoughts were cut abruptly from musing over his mate's blush by Sasuke's next actions.

In another wave of embarrassment and rage, Sasuke forgot the rules of their bond and sent a furious kick toward Naruto's head. Naruto's mind was still clouded with sleep and it slowed his movements.

'Shit!' in his growing anger he shouted at his mate. [SASUKE!]

Sasuke's mind reverberated with the strength of Naruto's thought, however he could not slow his kick. Again, his foot connected with the invisible barrier that prevented him from hurting Naruto. The pain from the barrier and from Naruto's forceful mind-speech dissipated Sasuke's anger somewhat. Unhappily, he set his foot down and settled for a murderous glare.

"Explain yourself," he growled darkly.

By now, Naruto felt his own temper rise. "What the fuck! You were the one who pulled me into your fucking nightmare! And when I woke up, would you rather me leave you to freeze?!" He leapt to his feet, cheeks flaming not in embarrassment but in anger now.

"I – " Sasuke stopped his retort as memories of last night's nightmare came back to him suddenly. Involuntarily, he shuddered slightly. Last night had been the worst one yet. He brow creased as he concentrated. He remembered how when the dream had gotten incredibly tortuous, he had heard a faint voice that had grown stronger singing to him, soothing him, and he had slipped gratefully into dark sleep. He blushed. That must have been Naruto.

Averting his gaze, Sasuke mumbled an apology before quickly changing the subject. "D'you think the waters have gone down by now?"

Sullenly, Naruto turned his head and grumbled. "How would I know?"

Sasuke brushed past the blonde and walked quickly to the banks of the island. During the brief walk, he fiercely attempted to dispel his embarrassment to no avail. Upon reaching the waters, he frowned. They were still pretty high. Damnit, he wanted to get out of here as soon as possible! He sensed Naruto's presence behind him even before he heard his footsteps. Without turning around, he spoke.

"When the waters go down enough, we'll swim across." He registered Naruto's grunt of agreement and prayed fervently to Kyarae to lower the waters quickly before he went insane.

"I'm hungry," Naruto's voice broke the silence. Sasuke turned slightly and saw Naruto's woeful expression as he clutched his stomach. "You don't suppose we'll find some ramen here?"

"Baka," Sasuke replied exasperatedly. "Is that all you ever eat?" He turned and started back toward the trees.

"Hey!" Naruto shouted. "Where are you going?"

"To find food."

Half an hour later, the two boys sat contently in the clearing, a half-finished pile of berries and apples in front of them. For some unknown reason, the food loosened their barriers and the two fell to easy conversation. Soon enough, the topic shifted to the current war.

Naruto tilted his head back to gaze with hard eyes at the dancing leaves above. In his right hand, he held an apple which he was munching happily on. When he spoke, his voice was vehement and strong. "I hate the war. If I could do anything to stop it, I would."

Sasuke glanced at his partner, a little surprised. It seemed as if everyone at home never spoke about the war's toll. It was always talk about how glorifying the war was, how just it was, how much honor they were gaining by dying for the Avia clan. He had always suspected that no one really supported the war anymore but that they continued to fight out of stubbornness and habit.

"I've lost too many friends and family for this war to be just," Naruto continued in a softer voice. As he spoke, he sent Sasuke images of his numerous friends who he'd lost. An overwhelming feeling of grief accompanied the pictures and it made Sasuke's heart wrench in an unfamiliar way. Naruto sent blurred images of funerals, and people crying, of injuries and blood. Lastly, an image of a burly man flickered through his mind, so fast he wouldn't have noticed it if it hadn't been for Naruto's extra strong wave of anguish that came with it. He understood immediately that this was the first person Naruto had killed and felt a new empathy for his partner.

Sasuke's voice was equally soft and sorrowful. "My family used to be large and powerful, but it seems as if each year, the numbers grow smaller." He too sent images of his family and friends that had died needlessly for pointless battles. He struggled to hold his grief back from the link, but failed and it poured over with an intensity that scared him. He managed to keep the knowledge of his bloodlust back however. He didn't think he was ready to share that pain with Naruto yet.

A few minutes of silence followed. Naruto had finished his food and had stretched out on the ground. The lack of sleep from last night was catching up to him and he could feel his eyelids growing heavier and heavier. "I hate the fighting. I hate the killing. It doesn't make any sense." Naruto's words became slower and sleepier. "If I could stop it all...I wish...I could... stop...it..."

Sasuke listened to Naruto's deep breathing and shifted to look at him. Sunlight danced on his face and Sasuke wondered how he could look so peaceful and angelic when he was sleeping. His brow creased. Angelic? Did he really think that? He shook his head quickly, his black hair flying from side to side. No, Naruto was anything BUT angelic. He cast another look at his mate – odd how he was starting to think of him as his mate now – and his thoughts ground to a halt. For several moments, Sasuke sat there, gazing at Naruto with soft eyes and an unusual tightening feeling in his chest.

* * *

Naruto awoke slowly. His eyes cracked open halfway and immediately squinted at the bright light that invaded them. Gradually, his eyes adjusted and he opened them fully. It was nighttime already and there was a cheery, dancing fire in front of him. Sasuke sat across him, a small stick dangling loosely from his right hand. Dark eyes were trained on the flames and it seemed to Naruto that he was far away at the moment. Naruto watched, mesmerized, as the light from the small fire flickered across Sasuke's face. Shadows came and went and Naruto was unable to tear his gaze away.

Sasuke spoke softly, startling Naruto all the same. "Is it hard, not being able to change?" He lifted his gaze from the fire to Naruto and the blonde could see the depth and honesty in his eyes. He struggled up into a sitting position and breathed deeply a few times before answering.

"Yes." His blue eyes seemed to grow dim with memories as he stared blankly into the fire. Sasuke waited patiently for him to continue. Naruto spoke hesitantly after a few seconds. "When I was small, I was always teased and bullied because I wasn't like the rest of them. If they were feeling especially spiteful, they'd all change into their canine forms and attack me mockingly. My father," Naruto's voice caught slightly but he recovered and continued. "My father would see me come home every day with bruises and cuts. I know he tried to hide his worry from me, but I could see it in his eyes. I kept wishing that I could do something to take away his pain. That's why I worked hard at developing my other skills - to make up for not being able to change, y'know."

Naruto fell silent. He wondered why he trusted Sasuke with his childhood memories. For all he knew, the boy could just turn right back around and laugh at him. His worries were cut short when Sasuke's voice drifted softly across the fire.

"The Uchiha family clan was always very powerful. Ever since I was young, my mother told me stories about our greatness and how I had so much to uphold. But sometime when I wasn't paying attention, the stories changed. Now, it was no longer I had to uphold the Uchiha name but that I had to live up to my brother's name. Itachi..." Sasuke paused. "he was – is - the genius of our family. No matter what he does, he excels at it. Sometimes, I wish I could be just like him. But then, other times, I wish he had never been born."

Sasuke stopped, feeling slightly self-conscious. What was it about Naruto that brought out these words? He had never told anyone else about these feelings, even though he had a hunch Kakashi-sama already knew. He glanced at Naruto unsurely. Seeing the soft distant expression on his face reassured Sasuke in an odd way. Without taking his eyes off of Naruto's face, he changed the subject quietly.

"The waters will be down in the morning. We'll swim across then." A faint flicker of emotion ran across the blonde's face as acknowledgement before Sasuke continued. "We should get some sleep."

He shifted gracefully from his sitting position to a position on his back to reinforce his words. Lids slid down over dark eyes as he stilled his body. After a few minutes, he heard soft scuffling sounds that confirmed that Naruto had laid down as well. Quiet fell peaceably over the campsite, enveloping the two with its thick comfort. Breathing grew deeper as the nighttime air rocked them slowly, closer and closer to sleep.

Sasuke listened to Naruto's breathing and strangely, found a sort of contentment in it. It soon became even and deep and Sasuke was sure he was fast asleep. Soundlessly, he turned to face his mate across the dying fire. The last struggling flickers of flame cast sharp shadows across Naruto's sleeping profile. His face was relaxed and peaceful and the more Sasuke gazed at him, the more he became aware of an unfamiliar tightening in his chest.

He frowned slightly and focused on the feeling. He felt acutely now, the disarray his mind and heart were in. All because Naruto breezed into his life, took the rest of his life. He was sharp and he recalled the very faint memories of some of emotions Naruto stirred in him. Trust. Liking. His mouth tightened even more. He wasn't supposed to trust or like. Trusting someone always, ultimately, led to betrayal. Itachi had drilled into him again and again to betray or be betrayed but he had adopted his own approach. If there is no trust, then any ill-will cannot be counted as betrayal.

Sasuke blinked deliberately and slowly. Trust kills. Wasn't that a fact set in stone? Those who befriended the enemy were traitors themselves. The truths of his young, hardened heart lingered in his mind as he drifted off to sleep. Trust kills. Trust turns to liking. Liking turns to love. Love hurts. Love is a burden.

Love kills.

* * *

When Sasuke awoke, bright sunlight struck his eyes immediately. He clenched them shut even tighter and brought up his arm to shield his face. Slowly, he eased them open and struggled into a sitting position, fighting a yawn. Eyes now fully open, he surveyed the crude campsite. Naruto was gone. He felt a faint flicker of worry wriggle in his stomach before he quickly squashed it.

Sasuke got to his feet and stretched. Hopefully the waters would be down by now. He wanted to get the hell off this island. Noisy crunching sounds heralded Naruto's entrance. A joyous grin shone through.

"Look Sasuke!" Naruto crouched and carefully placed the pile he had been carrying in his arms on the ground. "Breaaakfast!" Easy and eager laughter followed.

Not unkindly, Sasuke wondered how Naruto could be so excited over bruised berries and fruit. But then again, from what he had seen in Naruto's mind so far, food was always cause for a celebration. The two of them sat down amicably and shared their simple meal. Naruto provided most of the conversation, naturally. He had apparently gone down to the banks and seen that the water level had dropped significantly during the night. Silently, Sasuke offered praise up to Kyarae for answering his prayer.

After hurrying through breakfast, the two eagerly went to the edge of the island for the last time. With a whoop of excitement, Naruto rushed into the waters. A ghost of a smile graced Sasuke's lips before he stepped more gracefully into the river.

The two boys were joyous. In the middle of the river, Naruto turned and splashed Sasuke, who had been following close behind. Mischievous laughter burst out of the blonde that was soon cut short by Sasuke's massive wave of retaliation. Naruto sputtered angrily.

"Bastard!"

Sasuke's usually emotionless eyes shone with amusement. "You started it."

Naruto opened his mouth but could find no retort. He HAD started it. So, instead, he snapped his mouth closed and proceeded to fling as much water as he could at Sasuke for revenge. In seconds it had turned into a full fledged water fight.

Thirty minutes later, both boys were exhausted as they crawled up on the opposite bank. Naruto, feeling the exhilaration of freedom once more, managed to somehow find a new burst of energy. He ran up and down the bank, shouting insane insults at the island that had held them captive, then proceeded to perform a victory dance complete with all the yelling. Sasuke watched, perplexed and slightly amused. How the HELL did that boy have so much energy??

Eventually though, Naruto calmed down and trotted over to where Sasuke was sitting.

"Ne, Sasuke!"

"What?"

"We really should take off our clothes to let them dry before going home."

Sasuke's head shot up as he stared incredulously at Naruto and instantly regretted it. The blonde's clothes were still soaked from the swim and they clung to his body damply. Toned muscles could be seen through the wet fabric and it left very little to imagination.

Naruto pouted, mistaking Sasuke's stare for scorn. "We can't go home with wet clothes. They'll want to know how they got wet."

Slowly, the words penetrated Sasuke's mind and he processed them. Surprisingly, Naruto was right, for once. He nodded hesitantly.

Instantly, Naruto was wriggling out of his orange jacket. It came off easily and was thrown carelessly to the side. Sasuke watched, torn yet fascinated, as Naruto started on his black undershirt. It proved to be more difficult for the blonde's clumsiness and took him several moments longer to be rid of. When it finally did peel off with a damp protest, Naruto sighed in contentment and grinned at Sasuke.

"I hate wet clothing." Naruto started to remove his drenched pants but stopped abruptly when he realized that Sasuke still sat fully clothed. "Sasuke, why are you still sitting there?"

Sasuke blushed slightly and turned his head away. Slowly, he pulled his shirt over his head, leaving him in his fishnet undershirt. He felt aqua eyes focusing on him and fought to keep the redness from spreading on his cheeks. Even more self-consciously, he struggled out of the thin layer of black netting. He spared a quick glance through his lashes at Naruto.

Mistake. Naruto was still watching him, only now, he sat in only his colorful boxers. Sasuke berated himself mentally. He had let his embarrassment override his usually acute senses. How could he not have noticed Naruto stepping out of his pants? What was with him? He was acting like Lady Sakura or Lady Ino. He repressed a shudder at the thought of his two most avid fangirls.

To distract himself from the lingering image of Naruto, he focused intensely on the task of removing his now uncomfortably drenched pants. Soon, he was left with only his black boxers on as well. Sasuke set about arranging all the clothing neatly so they could get the most sun and dry faster.

Halfway through his motions, Sasuke came upon an idea. He straightened and stared thoughtfully off into space.

"Ne, Sasuke!" Naruto's loud voice rang close to his ear, once again interrupted his thought process. "Why'd you stop?"

Startled, Sasuke turned quickly and was met with Naruto's questioning face two inches away. He leapt away and to his feet.

"Damnit, Naruto! Don't do that!" Sasuke fumed inwardly. Why did Naruto have this deadening effect on his senses? He had been so absorbed in arranging the clothes to distract himself from Naruto's body that he hadn't noticed the blonde's presence behind him, watching him.

"Do what?!" Naruto retorted defensively. He had crept up quietly behind Sasuke to see what he was doing. As he was standing behind him, he had become aware of Sasuke's scent – a cool yet infuriatingly heady mixture of mint, soap, and something else Naruto could not name yet reminded him strongly of raw power. He had become entranced with the scent and had not moved away. Sasuke's sudden halt in movement had shaken him to his senses. Now, Sasuke stood before him, nearly naked, and Naruto could not help but stare.

Sasuke's skin was incredibly pale, reminding Naruto of moonlight across still waters. Toned muscles tightened and relaxed under nearly flawless skin. His slender fingers tensed at his side. His black hair hung in spikes, askew and in odd angles due to the swim and Naruto had a sudden longing to tame the wild strands of hair with his fingers. Forcibly, Naruto tore his gaze from Sasuke's body to his face before his thoughts could continue.

"I – well – "Sasuke stopped and gathered his scattered thoughts to form a coherent sentence. "Stop interrupting me when I'm thinking!"

"Well, excuse me!" Naruto huffed. He turned away and grumbled, "It's not like I asked to be stuck with a prick like you for the rest of my life."

Sasuke sighed. "Look, I was just thinking of a way to make our clothes dry faster, ok?"

Naruto turned back, all resentment gone from his face. "Really? How?"

As Naruto turned back to him, Sasuke's breath hitched. He got his first clear view of an expanse of the blonde's tanned body. Muscles that were normally hidden by bulky clothing were apparent now. They rippled and flowed smoothly as he moved. Messy locks of blonde hair framed his face. Blue eyes, as clear and life-giving as running water sat above a small nose, and a wide smile. Sasuke stared, enthralled with Naruto's perfection. He blinked rapidly, trying to dispel his dazedness. Sasuke forced himself to look away, even though his entire body cried out in protest.

"Ah, well." He stammered slightly then caught hold of himself. "I was thinking that we could use our chakra to heat up the clothing."

Naruto brightened. "Cool. Let me try."

Sasuke opened his mouth to tell him that it required a delicate, precise amount of chakra, but Naruto was already channeling chakra toward his orange jacket. The jacket glowed brightly for a second with Naruto's blue chakra before bursting into flames. Naruto yelped and the flow of blue was cut off abruptly. The fire died as quickly as it had started, leaving behind a pile of ashes.

As Naruto mourned the loss of his favorite article of clothing, Sasuke shook his head with bemusement and set to work. He quickly dried his own clothes and then Naruto's remaining clothes.

"C'mon, get dressed." He told Naruto curtly. "What are you – no! Naruto, don't take the ashes! It's just a jacket!"

* * *

**Preview:**

_It was too quiet. He knew it and felt it the moment he landed. His gaze swept his surroundings and it confirmed the fact that something was wrong. Things were knocked over, thrown, and left in disarray. There was no one. He began to walk faster and faster up the pathway that led to the tower, not trusting his voice to call for the people he knew should have been there. He reached the heavy oak door and slammed it open. His eyes stared incredulously at the splashes of blood that decorated the walls._

_He glanced to his right and his heart halted. It was Naka, one of his distant cousins. Her once laughing eyes now stared blankly ahead, the brilliant green now faded and glazed over. Blood covered her everywhere. She was supposed to be on guard duty tonight._

_He tore his eyes away and broke into a run. He fought the Panic that rose in him and clawed at his throat. A frightening silence pounded in his ears, his mind, chilling him and tightening around his chest. Fear made his hands shake._


	8. Breaking Point

**Disclaimer**: Naruto is not mine. I am merely basking in its glory.

**A/N**: I'm sososo sorry for the super long wait ::ducks the thrown veggies::... but like I said b4.. junior year has started and it's pretty much killing me. I get on average, 4 hrs of sleep daily. x . x

The Legend of the Thiasa

_Chapter 7: Breaking Point_

"Iruka!" Naruto shouted. He knelt quickly beside his fallen father and placed a hand on his shoulder. He shook the dark haired man vigorously, but to no avail. "Iruka!!" He sweat-dropped a little. He didn't think Iruka would take the news this badly.

His mind wandered to the past month. He had met with Sasuke many times, almost more times than he could bear. But neither one could help it. Naruto recalled with a grimace the first night, not long after the island incident, when he had awoken panting and groaning and clutching his heart. The sharp, insistent pangs of emptiness in his chest grew steadily stronger throughout the night. Through their link, Naruto knew that Sasuke was awake and experiencing the same time. After talking to him for a while, they both realized that it was the separation that was causing the pain and had made plans to meet again the next day. A month had passed in similar fashion. If they did not see each other for more than two days, the pain would intensify from a dull, forgettable throb, to the wild aches of need.

Naruto sighed in memory of those weeks. But thankfully, now the pain was easing away. They could spend more and more time apart, and when the pangs did come, they were much less severe. At least it didn't make him nauseous and his vision tinted with black anymore.

They had talked a lot during the time they spent together. Even though neither one put their feelings into words, they both could feel respect and trust growing within them for each other. They had reached a point where they almost enjoyed the other's company. Almost. The last couple of weeks, they had discussed intensely whether it was time to tell an adult about their bond or not. Sasuke had been vehement in his protest of it until Naruto eventually wore him down by saying that they couldn't possibly hide this forever and that it would be better to reveal it to a trusted few now than risk being exposed to all later. Sasuke had grudgingly agreed to tell one adult.

Iruka stirred underneath Naruto's hand, jolting him back to the present. "Iruka! Are you ok?" Dark brown eyes flickered open and attempted to focus.

Iruka groaned. What had happened? Why did his head hurt so much? Abruptly, he remembered Naruto's news and his eyes widened as he stared upward at his adopted child. A half of him raged and wept at the mere thought that his baby was all grown up and bonded, but the other half was numb in shock at the fact that it was to an Avian. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply a few times, trying to regain control of his thoughts. Iruka reopened them and struggled to sit. Immediately, Naruto was at his side, helping him and supporting him.

"I'm ok, Naruto," Iruka said shakily. "I'll be fine."

"Are you sure?" Worry shone in Naruto's azure eyes.

"Yes, I'm sure. Do me a favor and go hang out with your friends, ok? I need some time to think."

Naruto hesitated, unwilling to leave his father alone. Iruka waved impatiently at him, urging him to leave. "Go, go. I need to think."

"...Ok." Naruto rose and helped Iruka up as well. He turned and left the room with one last backwards glance. When he was gone, Iruka sank into a chair and released the breath he had been holding. His eyes grew distant as he recited the familiar prophecy softly.

"When the moonlight drowns,  
Caught between the wrathful waves,  
Saving strength shall be crowned,  
And healed shall be the races.  
A hope shall be drawn to anguish,  
Born of the blood winged curse,  
Betrayed, vengeance's narrow miss,  
Light, devotion to heart, seeks first.  
Evil shall fall from the chill above,  
Forked lies that bind the enemies,  
Blood shed for the sake of love,  
Breaks free from the unborn seed."

Iruka sighed and closed his eyes lightly. _Yl Thiasa Fyoerian_ – The Peace-bringer's Destiny – was as ingrained in his mind as the night of Naruto's birth. He had pored over it many nights as a young shinobi, fascinated by its implications and numerous layers of meanings and symbols. It had never occurred to him then that his interest in the prophecy would bring him to where he was today. His brow creased as he focused on the second stanza.

"A hope shall be drawn to anguish, born of the blood winged curse..." Iruka muttered to himself. It had made no sense before, no matter which way he looked at it, but now he saw clearly that it told of Naruto's bond to the Avian boy. As to why the boy would be likened to anguish or a blood curse was beyond him still.

He had to inform Tsunade and Jiraiya. Iruka opened his eyes and stood up. Quickly, he walked out the room and toward the Grand Residence. He took two steps and broke into a run.

* * *

Sasuke glided smoothly through a wide window high up in the Royal Tower. He landed and after making sure there was no one in sight, shifted smoothly back to his human form and stood up. He had been flying for hours after the last meeting with Naruto, trying to calm his nerves and work up enough courage. There had been no doubt in his mind as to who he would tell. In many ways, Kakashi-sama had been more of a parent to him than his real ones and Sasuke was sure he could trust him. 

He heard running footsteps to his right and stepped slightly back to allow the person room to pass. But, upon reaching him, the footsteps stopped. Sasuke turned his head to see the slightly out-of-breath guard standing at attention next to him.

"Thank Kyarae I found you. The Maari requested that you report to him immediately."

Sasuke inclined his head in acknowledgement. "Thank you." Kyarae had certainly made it easy for him to meet his mentor. He walked past the guard and headed toward the Royal Room. It disoriented him every time he heard Kakashi-sama's formal title. It was hard to keep reminding himself that the grey-haired man was the leader of their entire clan, something akin to a king. There was no Maara to lead beside Kakashi-sama, a point the Avian people found very disgruntling. For some odd reason, he had never decided to bond. Sasuke had questioned him once about it but had only received the answer that he would be told when he was older and more mature.

Sasuke reached the intricately carved doors and entered with a loud knock or two. Slipping in noiselessly, he glanced around the empty room with a puzzled expression.

"Sasuke," the sound of Kakashi-sama's voice made him start, "Have you ever taken the time to really look at the stars?" Locating the source of the voice, Sasuke walked over to the small balcony that was situated to the right of the throne. The masked royal was there, sprawled undignified in a corner, his one visible eye turned upward toward the heavens. Sasuke gripped the rail and tilted his head back as well. Millions of small sparks of light greeted his eyes and he drank the sight in hungrily. He had almost forgotten - he had done this often when he was a child. He let the immensity of Creation wash over and soothe him. He released a breath he had not known he was holding and felt for the first time in many weeks, truly at peace.

"Where were you today?" Kakashi's smooth voice slid effortlessly through the night air. Without turning to face his teacher, Sasuke could detect the slight undercurrent of worry in his words. It was a perfect opportunity to tell him, a small whisper flickered across his mind. The raven- haired boy breathed deeply a few times to calm his nerves before speaking.

"I need to tell you something." Silence followed as Kakashi waited patiently for Sasuke to continue. "I – I've been bonded." Even though the king did not speak, Sasuke could sense the surprise radiating from him. He thought dryly to himself that he hadn't even come to the most shocking part yet before he let the truth spill out of him.

"When I was fighting in that surprise Canis attack, I came across a boy about my age. I fought him and ... somehow, we accidentally performed the bonding ceremony. So yes, I'm bonded to a Canis boy." Sasuke waited for Kakashi's reaction, a little afraid of the outburst that was sure to come.

"What's his name?" the question caught Sasuke off-guard.

"Ah – Naruto."

A long period of silence fell. Sasuke turned to face his king and saw that he was staring thoughtfully into the night sky. He was about to open his mouth and interrupt the stillness when Kakashi spoke.

"Being bonded to a boy is unusual, but not unheard of. But being bonded to a Canis boy... now, that's a first." The Maari turned suddenly and stared at Sasuke intently. "Do you love him?"

Immediately, blood rushed to Sasuke's cheeks. "No! I mean ye- no! No, of course not!"

"I loved a man once," Kakashi's voice grew soft and tender and his one grey eye seemed unfocused as memories overtook the ruler. "His name was Iruka and ... Kyarae... he was perfect. He was a Canis too, you know. We would sneak out and meet secretly all the time, anywhere, everywhere." Kakashi drifted off and after several moments of silence Sasuke prompted him once again.

"What happened?"

"We wanted to be bonded but in the end, too many things held us back. I was next in line to be Maari, and it was a very high possibility that he would be chosen to be one of the Canis' High Shinobi. A bond, a relationship... would not have worked. We agreed to never meet again but leaving him was the hardest thing I ever had to do." Kakashi's voice shook slightly as he allowed memories to come to him, memories that he had been holding back and trying to forget for the past 25 years.

"But," Sasuke said in a quiet voice. "It's already been more than 20 years. Why haven't you forgotten him?"

Kakashi turned and Sasuke saw in his grey eye a multitude of emotions. Compassion, seriousness, sympathy – all layered with a softness that the king rarely showed. "Sasuke, love is never temporary. I loved Iruka then and I love him now. Someday, you too will meet the person who will make your life complete. Maybe then, you'll understand."

Sasuke watched him, amazed and humbled that Kakashi-sama would share this emotional moment with him. Mixed expressions played across his face. It was hard to believe that the reserved ruler had that painful of a past. Sasuke felt an odd sense of relief, that he was not the only one to have associated with a Canis boy. Vaguely, he wondered what would have happened if Kakashi had tried bonding with this Iruka guy. Where would the two of them be right now?

"Sasuke, go home, it's late," Sasuke opened his mouth to protest but Kakashi silenced him with an upheld hand. "If I remember correctly, you have patrol very early tomorrow and then a training session, right?" Sasuke nodded, defeated.

"Good night then," he said softly and bowed low and stayed there a second longer than usual. Turning, he exited the room as noiselessly as he had entered. When he had left, Kakashi sighed and leaned his head back on the cool stone wall. Staring aimlessly at the myriad of stars, he let the ancient prophecy run through his head. It had been passed down from king to king for generations and it told of a time when there would be no more fighting, no more bloodshed. He knew from Iruka that the Canis clan held the same prophecy in high regard and that they spoke reverently of the Thiasa, the one who would bring peace, the Mähkgre in the Avian language.

_Cki Pgnaarylmähkgre._ The Peace-Bringer's Destiny. Kakashi sighed again and closed his eyes, losing himself to memories of warm brown eyes and tender kisses.

* * *

Iruka arrived panting at the great double doors. Ignoring the odd glances he received, he pushed his way through the crowd that had gathered for the afternoon public session. It was a bothersome but necessary thing, these public sessions. Any citizen could come during these times and present their problem directly to the queen. A quick glance at the clock showed that it was almost time for the session to end. 

As if on cue, a loud voice announced the session's closing and slowly people began to shuffle out. Eternity passed before the room was finally empty. Iruka emerged from his corner and walked briskly to the throne in the center where Tsunade sat, eyes closed and thumbs massaging her temples.

"Hey, you!" a guard called out. "You're not supposed to be in here!" The burly man started towards Iruka. Tsunade opened her eyes at the sound and catching sight of Iruka, hastened to call off the guards.

"No, it's ok, I know him," she said. "Could you give us some privacy, please?"

"Of course," as one, the guards bowed and exited the room.

"You look tired," Iruka said sympathetically as soon as the guards had left. "You need more sleep – you'll kill yourself at this rate."

A wry smile crept across Tsunade's face. "Thanks, Iruka, but I'm Thymera – I can't just take naps whenever I want to." She forced a laugh before turning serious again. "But obviously, you're not here about me. What's wrong?"

"It's Naruto," Iruka hesitated for a long moment. He HAD promised not to tell anyone and so far he had never broken a promise made to Naruto. He struggled silently before deciding that it would be for Naruto's benefit to have Tsunade know.

"Naruto... he's been bonded –"

"WHAT?!?!" Tsunade sat straight up on the throne and leaned forward urgently. She gripped the chair tightly, slowly turning her fingers white. "How did this happen? Are you absolutely sure? When – "

Iruka held up his hands defensively. "Hold on, hold on. One thing at a time!" Slowly, he proceeded to explain the situation to Tsunade. When he was done, she sat back in her throne and for once, she was speechless. Iruka waited a few moments for her to digest the information before beginning again in a soft voice.

"This bonding was all predicted in the prophecy, Tsunade. And although it is shocking that Naruto is bonded to an Avian boy, what we need to focus on now is what the prophecy points to next." Iruka saw that he had Tsunade's full attention now, so taking a deep breath, he quoted from Yl Thiasa Fyoerian.

"'Evil shall fall from the chill above, forked lies that bind the enemies' – I've studied the entire prophecy many times over and I can tell you with complete certainty that this is warning of an enemy that will come from the north, beyond the forests."

The queen sat, contemplating Iruka's words. When she opened her mouth, her even voice betrayed the chaos she felt inside. "What do you suggest I do?"

"Tsunade..." Iruka said. "If I were you... I would prepare for war."

"As if we haven't been in a war for as long as we can remember..."

"No – this time it's different. The prophecy clearly points to a greater evil than what we're used to. Think of the war with the Avian clan as practice compared to what is about to come."

Tsunade let loose a tiny sigh. "Iruka, I want you to come to the next High Shinobi meeting next week. You'll discuss this with them. Also, if what you're saying does come true, I'll need you to be prepared to reclaim a position among the High Shinobi. You'll most likely be replacing Kohana, the Third – her baby's nearly due and I don't want her to be around here with all the stress."

Solemnly, Iruka nodded his consent and with one last bow, turned and left the room, leaving behind a confused and frustrated Thymera.

* * *

Cool night air filled his lungs as he soared high above the treetops. Momentarily, Sasuke allowed himself to relax and enjoy the sensation of flight. No matter how many times he flew, he never got tired of it. His powerful wings beat lazily as he glided through the darkness toward the Uchiha family tower. All too soon, the dark outline of his home rose in front of him and he reluctantly descended and returned to his human form. 

It was too quiet. He knew it and felt it the moment he landed. His gaze swept his surroundings and it confirmed the fact that something was wrong. Things were knocked over, thrown, and left in disarray. There was no one. He began to walk faster and faster up the pathway that led to the tower, not trusting his voice to call for the people he knew should have been there. He reached the heavy oak door and slammed it open. His eyes stared incredulously at the splashes of blood that decorated the walls.

He glanced to his right and his heart halted. It was Naka, one of his distant cousins. Her once laughing eyes now stared blankly ahead, the brilliant green now faded and glazed over. Blood covered her everywhere. She was supposed to be on guard duty tonight.

He tore his eyes away and broke into a run. He fought the Panic that rose in him and clawed at his throat. A frightening silence pounded in his ears, his mind, chilling him and tightening around his chest. Fear made his hands shake.

Running up the circular ramp, Sasuke came across more and more bodies. An aunt there, an uncle here, part of a cousin there – his mind grew numb to the destruction and eventually he no longer remembered their relation to him. He knew only of the eyes – the blank and staring eyes. Their gazes bore into him and pleaded with him to do something, to remember them.

His family! The thought of them struck a pang of fear into his chest. Faster and faster Sasuke ran, until he arrived panting at the highest room where his family lived. His heartbeats blurred with the ache of trauma and panic as he threw open the doors.

The scene before him burned itself into his eyes. For a few moments he stood there, not comprehending what his vision was telling him. Slowly, he took in the blood – so much blood, too much red splattered across the room. His eyes focused painfully on the small heap in the middle of the floor. Sasuke stopped breathing when he finally recognized the features of the two bodies.

Mother.

Father.

The burning feeling in his chest forced him to breathe again. He stumbled forward and tripping, fell to his hands and feet. Immediately, his pants became soaked with sticky red but he barely felt it as he crawled. Sasuke's vision blurred and tears began to drip down his pale cheeks. He drew a long shuddering breath and whispered hoarsely.

"Mother... Father... "a hysterical sob began to rise in him but before it could break free, a dark figure stepped out from the shadowed corner. As the person drew closer, Sasuke caught sight of the dull gleam of a katana dripping with blood. Finally, realization struck and his gasp caught in his throat.

"Itachi," Sasuke managed to choke out. "What have you done?" He barely recognized his own voice – it sounded hollow and torn to his own ears.

Cold red eyes contemplated him with an intensity that sent trembles of fear through Sasuke's body. Itachi's expression remained detached and emotionless as he spoke. "What have I done, little brother? I should think it would be quite obvious."

Calmly, Itachi closed his eyes and breathed. "Mangekyou Sharingan!" His eyes flew open and Sasuke found himself caught in a gaze of crimson red. It was different from the normal Sharingan – there was an extra wheel circling the pupil. These thoughts barely formed in his mind before the full effect of Itachi's power overtook him.

Unwillingly, a scream was torn from his throat, raw and wordless. He saw and did not see Itachi with his deadly fast katana, killing emotionlessly his own kin. Sasuke relived his parents' last moments. He heard their pleading, their screams of pain. He felt their warm blood splattering on his face and yet beneath it all, memories of their smiles and their love remained, making it all the more painful.

When Sasuke opened his eyes once more, he saw the harshly rough ground. His throat burned from screaming and he felt a weariness seeping into his bones. Still, he struggled to lift his head enough so he could speak.

"Why?" it came out weak and hoarse but Sasuke no longer cared.

"To see if I could."

Rage stirred within Sasuke and burst into flame, filling him with its heat. "Is that it?! To see if you could?!"

"Yes."

His anger pulled him to his feet and drove him forward. "You bastard!" Abruptly, he heard the sound of flesh striking flesh and the ground rushed up to meet him. The pain followed seconds later, yet it still could not match the pain he felt in his heart. Sasuke felt rough hands pulling him up and to his dismay, he found himself looking into Itachi's eyes. Terror struck him then and no matter how he fought to keep it down, it overwhelmed him with its urgency.

Cold amusement filled Itachi's gaze. "Are you scared now, little brother? Hate me then, for killing our family. Embrace your bloodlust, your destiny – only then can you bring it to its full potential - only then will you be worthy enough to seek revenge." Itachi dropped Sasuke cruelly and watched him crumple to the ground. "Our family was wrong in trying to fight it."

The taller man walked slowly to the open window on the opposite side of the room. "Our bloodlust is a gift, remember that." He turned his crimson gaze back one last time, sending fresh waves of fear through Sasuke. "We were meant to enjoy killing, little brother." With that, Itachi was gone.

Sasuke lay where Itachi had dropped him, shaking with terror and pain. His eyes flickered wildly around the chaotic room. Something inside him broke under the pressure and the emotions he had been holding back flooded forward in a numbing wave. All the barriers in his heart and mind faltered and fell to the onslaught of feeling.

Throwing his head back, he screamed a wordless scream, putting in it all his pain and anguish. He felt it reverberate through his body and echo through the thick night air. Sorrow gripped his soul.

* * *

**Preview:**

_"Naruto! Where have you been?! You just ran out in the middle of the night and I-"Iruka halted abruptly when he saw the visitor emerge through the doorway. "Oh!"_

_"Who's –"His brown eyes narrowed as his intuition told him that the boy before him was not a Canis, as he appeared to be, but an Avian. Naruto nodded slightly and the stranger changed out of the transformation with a little poof. In place of the short brown haired, blue eyed boy, there stood a taller, darker Avian. His black hair hung silkily, framing a face sharpened by pain. Obsidian eyes hid wells of emotion behind a cold mirror. Iruka stood unsurely._

_Naruto took a deep breath. "Iruka," he began. "I would like you to meet my bondmate, Uchiha Sasuke." He shot an uncertain but gentle glance towards his partner before returning his gaze to his father. "He's going to be staying with us for a while."_

* * *

**Ghostninja85**: thank you so much for emailing me!! I tend to get so caught up in all my other stuff that I'll neglect my writing – which is, of course, very bad. So yes, you have my eternal gratitude. ï 


	9. Cursed Nightmares

**A/N:** sorry for the super long wait... yeah.. junior year is horrible. Anyway.. I hope this chapter makes up for the delay..

**Disclaimer**: Naruto not mine.. but someday he will be... when i rule the world.. muahahah..

The Legend of the Thiasa 

Chapter 8: Cursed Nightmares

Naruto tasted blood. He could smell it – the rusty, stomach-turning odor. He felt sticky liquid running through his fingers, across his bare skin, tainting all it came in contact with. He wanted to draw back but found himself frozen in place. Inwardly, he struggled to free himself. All these sensations happened in an instant that seemed to span eternity. Then, without warning, his head exploded with the whiteness of pain.

Naruto screamed long and hard, his voice rising and rising. His crescendo of sound kept perfect pace with the increase of agony. He thrashed wildly, trying vainly to escape from the pain. His limbs would not obey him and when he looked down, he saw with horror, the thick chains that encircled his body. He screamed again, this time with desperation edging his voice. He jerked about and abruptly, felt himself hit something hard with a thud.

His eyes shot open to reveal panicked eyes. His pupils had dilated until the dark, troubled blue seemed to merely rim the black. He realized that he was still screaming hoarsely and forced himself to stop. Panting hard, Naruto attempted to orient himself. Where was he? In his room, still. Where were the chains? A glance down made him acknowledge sheepishly the blankets tangled around his body. Where was the blood? Nowhere. Then... where had the blood come from? Sasuke...

Instantly, the thought of Sasuke cleared all sleepiness from Naruto's mind. With renewed vigor, he began to try and struggle free from the blankets. At that very moment, Iruka burst into the room with wild eyes.

"Naruto! What happened? Are you alright?" the worried man ran to his adopted son's side and knelt, joining in the battle against the knotted bedsheets.

"Help me... help me..." Naruto's mumblings came distractedly, as he tried to focus on untangling himself. Sasuke... There was no way Naruto could have not known that Sasuke was in trouble by now. Raw pain and anguish poured uncensored through their bond, pounding in Naruto's head and making all thoughts slippery with fear.

Now that he was more awake, images of Sasuke slipped through the pain as well. It was only a flash here and there, but what he saw made his chest ache. "Sasuke ... Sasuke... SASUKE..." Naruto breathed his name. His heart raced uncontrollably as his worry grew to a screaming pitch. In a rush of adrenaline and frustration, Naruto cried out and tore through the offending restraints. He stumbled upright, nearly tripping over his father, and in an instant he was out the door.

"Naruto! NARUTO!" Iruka stared helplessly in the direction Naruto had gone, confusion and worry shining in his eyes. He glanced down at the shredded pieces of linen with a furrowed brow. What could have possibly made Naruto so panicked? Sighing, he let his hands drop to his lap and closed his eyes. Kyarae... let him be alright...

* * *

Sasuke ran. His vision was blurred red and he no longer knew where he was. He knew only and saw only of the bodies – the bodies were everywhere. Blood dripped from his face, his body. He could not stop the shudders that ran through his weakened frame. He no longer existed as Uchiha Sasuke – he had become merely emotions, kept together only by the thick strands of sorrow that were everywhere. 

His eyes wild, he ran. Pain the blood Kyarae too much blood rage consuming weak wrath no Mother Father dead darkness everywhere Brother how could you weakling hate despair – NOOO! Exhausted, Sasuke collapsed, barely feeling the twigs and dirt against his face. He curled up in a ball, trying to warm the coldness in his heart. He struggled to breathe through the overwhelming tightness in his chest.

The trembling in his body disgusted him. What right did he have to be this afraid when his entire family lay dead at the hands of his brother? Sasuke tried in vain to stop, but found that the more he thought about it, the harder he shook. A hoarse cry of frustration escaped from his chapped lips and he began to sob. Itachi... what have you done? Sasuke felt ripples of self-loathing run through him again. He should have been there, he should have been dead instead of his father or his mother. If only he had trained harder, he could have stopped Itachi. If only he had been there, he might have been able to persuade Itachi to stop his quest. If only he had been stronger... faster... better...

A loud crash broke him from his thoughts. Vaguely, his mind registered heavy panting and the faint rustling of fabric. He smelled Naruto's unique scent and closed his eyes. He hurt too much to care.

Naruto surveyed his mate with obvious worry as he walked quickly over to where Sasuke lay in a fetal position. He sank to knees in front of the dark-haired boy and pulled him into his arms. There was so much blood. Discretely, Naruto checked to make sure the blood was not Sasuke's. The fleeting sense of relief when he discovered only minor injuries was quickly chased away by worry for Sasuke.

Naruto felt Sasuke's tremors and held him even more tightly in an attempt to stop them. Hesitantly, Sasuke brought his shaking arms around Naruto. His hands found the rough fabric of Naruto's pajamas and he clung to his mate with a strength he did not know he still had left.

Inside, the Canis' heart was breaking. It seemed odd how the very sight of the Avian in pain wrenched at his heart and stopped his own breathing. When was it that Naruto's hatred for his enemy had been replaced with this warm tightening in his chest? He hardly knew what to call it – it was an utterly foreign and strange feeling. And yet... he welcomed it and clung to it, his starved fingers stroked its presence tenderly and with awe. Was this love? Was this the feeling Iruka had expressed so often to him? Was this what made level-headed men and women act with such impulsivity?

Naruto felt Sasuke's trembling resound in his own body. His vision blurred and closing his eyes, he felt the warm streams of sorrow drip down. Was love really this painful? Without realizing it, Naruto began to whisper words of comfort to his wounded mate. He knew not what words, what phrases, slipped from his lips. He knew only that he longed to - he _needed_ to - stop Sasuke's pain.

"Shh... my love... hush... I'm here now. You're ok now. Don't cry, Sasuke, don't cry. Oh Sasuke... hush... you'll be ok, you'll be ok. Shh... I'm here now, don't cry..."

Over and over, Naruto's words fell softly on Sasuke's shattered heart. Lovingly, he sent images of stillness and peace through their bond. Tying the comforting images together was his unconditional love – they provided a sweet symphony that Sasuke clung desperately to. The night was silent, as if in mourning for the fallen family and the broken boy they left behind. The comfort that flowed from Naruto's heart and mind became dampened in the mystery of the darkness, each word and image seemed to be ethereal and all the more beautiful. Slowly, Sasuke's shuddering ceased and his sobs quieted. The two boys remained in each other's tight embrace for a while – each unwilling to let the other go.

Eventually, Sasuke gathered enough strength and pulled back slightly to look at Naruto. Wonderment filtered through his pain and flickered in his eyes as he beheld his partner. Hesitantly, he reached out and touched Naruto's face gingerly.

"Naruto..." Sasuke hated how his voice came out scratchy and whispered. "...you're crying...why?" He did not understand how this beautiful boy could be crying. Shouldn't he be angry for being bonded with a weakling such as him? Shouldn't he hate him now? He could not remember when Naruto's opinion had begun to matter. For the life of him, he could not pinpoint when Naruto himself had begun to matter so much. How had such a clumsy enemy found entry to a heart that he had so carefully guarded? Sasuke felt a familiar fear begin to curl in his already weary heart. What if... What if Naruto hurt him too? What if he –

"Sasuke, you idiot," Naruto's soft voice broke through his thoughts and Sasuke noticed with a dull pang of worry that his voice was cracked and hoarse as well. "Of course I'm crying... How could I not cry when you cry?"

Sasuke stared, disbelieving. Naruto was crying because of him? But ... why? Why would anyone cry over a failure like him? He hadn't realized he had voiced his thoughts until he saw the flash of sorrow that appeared on Naruto's face.

"Sasuke... Sasuke..." Naruto whispered. His eyes held compassion and love. Gently, he raised his calloused hands and cupped his love's face. A shiver ran down Sasuke's spine at the touch. His breath hitched as Naruto leaned forward and placed a soft kiss on his forehead. Tenderly and lovingly, Naruto showered kisses on Sasuke's face. Each spot that he touched with his lips seemed to burn on Sasuke's skin. He wondered how Naruto could be so controlled and gentle. Where had the loud, clumsy boy gone? Naruto drew back a little and placed his forehead against Sasuke's.

.:May I?:.

.:Yes.:.

Sasuke closed the distance between them and for the first time, their lips met. Each boy felt the tightening in their chests again as rough, chapped mouths pressed against one another. Through the bond, Naruto felt Sasuke's enjoyment and hesitantly, he deepened the kiss. Sasuke responded and soon their first kiss grew passionately until they had to break free for air. Panting hard, they stared at each other for a moment before hungrily seeking another kiss.

'Why is this happening? I... I... Kyarae... He tastes like summer... like the sun...' But now it was becoming harder and harder to string coherent thoughts together and Sasuke surrendered to the glow he felt in his chest. Reason and logic be damned.

Sasuke stifled a gasp when he felt Naruto's tongue run over his bottom lip. Seizing the opportunity, Naruto entered Sasuke's mouth. Warmth began to seep through his body as Sasuke gradually responded to Naruto's exploring. Each boy knew keenly of the pleasure the other was experiencing and that knowledge only served to heighten their own pleasure. Their kisses grew more and more fevered and hungry. The small sounds that escaped from Naruto occasionally drove Sasuke insane with desire.

Naruto broke free and ignoring the whimper of disappointment from his mate, began to kiss down the side of Sasuke's neck. A loud gasp of pleasure informed him that he had hit a particularly sensitive spot. With a faint smile, Naruto proceeded to suck and kiss Sasuke's neck, aware of his mate's tightened grip on his shoulders and his increased breathing.

Sasuke closed his eyes in bliss. He had never experienced so much pleasure and Naruto had yet to touch him. None of the times he had clumsily fumbled at himself in the shower could compare to this. His pants were becoming uncomfortably tight. He felt Naruto's own pleasure as well, both from the drunken messages he was receiving through the bond and the hardness he felt pressed against his leg.

Sasuke raised his hand to bury it in Naruto's golden mass of hair. A glimpse of crimson blood registered through his half-closed lids and immediately he recoiled. The dreamy lust and happiness that had enveloped him were dispelled in an instant. His mind was drenched in blood again.

Through his reeling horror, the thought of Naruto still presided in Sasuke's mind. No! Naruto must not see this. Naruto must not be tainted with this. Resolutely, Sasuke gathered the little energy he had and slammed the bond shut before any more images could leak out to his love.

With a cry of pain, Naruto fell back. His head and chest pounded with an emptiness that pierced his very being. Clutching his heart, he lifted his head to meet Sasuke's gaze.

Naruto beheld brokenness. "I'm sorry, Naruto... I can't..." came the pain-filled whisper.

Naruto shook his head in agony. "No... I'm sorry, Sasuke. I shouldn't have done that. But please... let me in. Don't shut me out like that..."

"...I can't show you."

"But don't leave completely! Sasuke, stop this, please!" the cry was torn from Naruto and it wrenched at Sasuke's heart. How could he say no to this? Slowly, he released his stranglehold on the bond but still, he kept the memory of the massacre hidden. He could not share that with Naruto – not yet.

Naruto sighed as he felt Sasuke's presence in his mind and heart once again. He had not realized how badly he needed him there. Without Sasuke now, it seemed as if he was only half a man. Gently, he touched Sasuke's mind.

.:Thank you for letting me in.:.

Sasuke did not respond, but Naruto felt the confusion that raged within him and understood. No words were needed. Silently, he vowed to himself that he would not kiss Sasuke again until he was ready. Sasuke needed to heal first.

Naruto crawled over to where Sasuke sat and gently, he took him in his arms. Sasuke stiffened then relaxed when he realized that Naruto was not going to do anything else. The warmth of his mate's embrace and the open love he was sending through the bond lulled Sasuke to drowsiness. His exhaustion finally got the better of him and he surrendered to the welcome grip of darkness with a sigh.

Naruto listened as his love's breathing grew even and deep. When he was sure that Sasuke was asleep, he shifted him gently to the ground, to a more comfortable sleeping position. Quietly, he lay down next to him. For the longest time, Naruto gazed at Sasuke's sleeping face. Unable to help himself, he traced the delicate features with a calloused finger. Wonder descended on him. Sasuke's beauty was all the more evident when he was sleeping – the guarded expression that he always wore was gone and the true softness of his face was allowed to shine through. Naruto felt a pang of deep worry resonate in his chest. How had this beautiful angel been hurt? He recalled the single image that had gotten through to him before Sasuke had shut the bond. He had not mentioned it to Sasuke for fear that it would upset him but now, Naruto was free to examine it more thoroughly.

He remembered that there was a bloodied room and bodies piled in the center. At the far end, a figure shrouded in black approached slowly. His red eyes glittered fiercely and the silver blade he held shone coldly through the bright blood that coated it. An infinite amount of fear and hatred consumed the image.

Naruto shook his head slightly. What had happened? He sighed and suddenly realized how incredibly tired he was. He gathered Sasuke into his embrace lovingly and allowed his own eyes to close.

* * *

Sasuke stirred peacefully. Gradually, the sunlight filtered through his eyelids and bade him to greet the day. He resisted, unwilling to leave the warmth that enveloped him. But the years of training kicked in and he found that he could not go back to sleep anymore. With a sigh, he cracked open his eyes. 

Immediately he squinted in the bright sunlight. He became aware of someone's hand running through his hair, over and over again. Looking up, he found himself gazing into Naruto's smiling face.

Never stopping his stroking, Naruto spoke cheerfully, "Good morning!"

Puzzled, Sasuke gazed at his love's face. His keen observation skills showed him the shadows under the brilliant blue eyes, and the tightness of Naruto's mouth as he tried hard not to yawn. Quietly, he inquired, "Why didn't you sleep?"

Naruto's smile remained unfaltering and loving as he replied, "I couldn't. Your nightmares kept me up."

Sasuke pushed himself out of Naruto's lap and into a sitting position. For several minutes he remained silent, brooding, while Naruto lay down on his back and gazed contently at the dancing shadows above.

"I never told you about my nightmares, did I?" Naruto did not answer and Sasuke sighed inwardly. Now was the time to tell Naruto. "The Uchiha family has – had," his voiced cracked slightly but he continued. "a special ... aspect. Every child was born with a curse that would not activate until they were ten. The curse... you probably already guessed by now... All of my family was cursed with bloodlust. The bloodlust makes my eyes turn red and it increases my power immensely. But, when the curse overtakes me, I can't stop or control myself. I kill until the lust is satisfied – and at the time, I don't care who I kill. It's one of the main reasons why I really don't have any friends – I don't want to wake up to find their blood covering me."

Sasuke trailed off and waited expectantly for Naruto's response. "... Do you think the bond's power is stronger than your bloodlust?" came the curious question.

Sasuke stared dejectedly at nothing. "You mean... will the 'no hurting' aspect of the bond be enough to stop me from killing you?"

"Yeah, pretty much."

"...I don't know, Naruto."

"Ah well... I'm sure it won't be a problem." Naruto's ease and confidence startled Sasuke and he stared openly at the reclining blonde.

"You don't need to give me that look – I know what you're thinking. But, I mean, c'mon, Sasuke... first of all, I don't think the bonding would have worked if you were meant to kill me – mates are destined to be together right? Plus, if you ever do go psycho on me, I'll just knock you around a bit, mentally, y'know?" So saying, Naruto demonstrated. ::Like this, only a million times louder.:: "And you do know that if you kill me, you basically kill yourself."

Naruto's logic forced Sasuke to concede defeat. Weird. The boy actually had some brains under that wild hair and wide smile. Sasuke never thought he would be forced to admit that.

Naruto got up and stretched. He offered a hand to Sasuke and pulled him to his feet. "Are you alright now?" Suddenly quiet and serious, Naruto searched Sasuke's face with worried eyes.

"Yes..."

"... do you want to talk about anything?"

"...no."

A brief moment of silence passed before Naruto sighed and spoke again. "Alright. I'm not going to force you. I should go home though – Iruka's probably mad with worry by now."

Sasuke started. Iruka? Where had he heard that name before? He thought for a second or two before giving up, convinced that it was a trivial fact. Naruto turned to go but the sight of him leaving tore at Sasuke's already broken heart. He thought of the home he had to return to – blood would probably still be there, along with all the bodies. He shuddered violently. He couldn't go back just yet.

After a flash of hesitation, Sasuke opened his mouth, "Umm, Naruto?" the boy in question turned with a slight questioning sound. "Could I... Could I stay with you? I mean... just for a little while..."

Naruto faced Sasuke fully now and he stared at him with confusion written all over his face. Dropping his head slightly, Sasuke added quietly, "I don't want to go home."

Naruto nodded slowly. "Alright then."

* * *

Casually, two boys slipped into the hidden entrance to the Canis tunnels. The blonde chattered excitedly to the brown-haired boy, who remained silent with a faint smile hovering upon his lips. Both were tanned and had blue eyes – one a glittering sky blue, the other a darker, more serene hue. The two walked, their heights and strides perfectly matching. No one paid any heed to them – it wasn't unusual for teens to come in for lunch at this hour. 

Dark, ocean, eyes became more and more bewildered with each turn or twist that they took. The other boy merely laughed at his companions confusion and continued at his brisk pace. Soon, however, the two reached their destination and slowed. They gave each other long, steady looks before breathing deeply and entering.

"Naruto! Where have you been?! You just ran out in the middle of the night and I-"Iruka halted abruptly when he saw the visitor emerge through the doorway. "Oh!"

"Who's –"His brown eyes narrowed as his intuition told him that the boy before him was not a Canis, as he appeared to be, but an Avian. Naruto nodded slightly and the stranger changed out of the transformation with a little poof. In place of the short brown haired, blue eyed boy, there stood a taller, darker Avian. His black hair hung silkily, framing a face sharpened by pain. Obsidian eyes hid wells of emotion behind a cold mirror. Iruka stood unsurely.

Naruto took a deep breath. "Iruka," he began. "I would like you to meet my bondmate, Uchiha Sasuke." He shot an uncertain but gentle glance towards his partner before returning his gaze to his father. "He's going to be staying with us for a while."

Iruka started. He was getting to old for this. First an Avian in a CANIS home, then him turning out to be his baby's bondmate. And now he was going to be staying for a while! Kyarae! His mind reeled with the information. His eyes narrowed slightly as he examined the Avian boy.

From the dampness of both of their hairs, Iruka could tell that they had been swimming, or washing lately. His keen nose smelled the faint scent of blood – sharp and metallic in the air. He looked intently into Sasuke's black eyes. The boy had gone through immense pain recently – he was sure of it. Iruka felt a small curl of protectiveness rise in his stomach but he squashed it quickly. He could tell from the way the two boys were standing next to each other that they cared about the other deeply. He had to trust that Naruto's mate would take care of Naruto.

Hesitantly, he offered his hand. "I'm Naruto's father, Umino Iruka. I'm glad that I finally got to meet you."

Expressionless, Sasuke gripped his hand in a firm handshake. "Thank you for letting me stay." He raised his left hand and touched his right cheek in the sign of respect before remembering belatedly that Iruka would have no idea what it meant. Recovering quickly, he bowed slightly before retreating back to Naruto's side.

"Well..." Iruka said briskly. "Naruto, why don't you show Sasuke your room while I make lunch?" He wanted to ask why they both smelled like blood, but forced himself to stay silent.

Naruto nodded and happily dragged Sasuke off to show him where he would be sleeping.

Later that night, Iruka reluctantly left the two boys alone to attend the High Shinobi meeting. With an uneasy feeling in his stomach, he walked away and prayed fiercely that nothing would happen while he was gone.

The night progressed quietly and uneventfully. Naruto and Sasuke talked – or rather, Naruto talked and Sasuke listened – each gathering strength and comfort from the other's presence. It was not long after Iruka left that Naruto began to yawn. Having not slept in more than 24 hours, he was exhausted. Sasuke, too, felt weary from running from his memories the entire day.

"I'm going to bed," Naruto said with a yawn. "Are you going to come?"

Sasuke shrugged, unwilling to show his own tiredness.

The two boys tumbled into their respective beds, and Naruto was soon sound asleep. Sasuke listened to his mate's deep breathing and stared despondently into the darkness. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw his brother – he saw blood. He shifted about for an hour before surrendering. With a sigh, he quietly rolled out of bed and padded over to Naruto's side.

Gently, he reached into Naruto's sleeping mind and shook him awake. ::Naruto?:: Naruto's eyes fluttered open blearily. ::Sasuke?::

::Could I...:: embarrassed, Sasuke could not put it in words and settled for sending an image instead. He felt Naruto's faint amusement radiate through the bond as the blonde gestured his assent sleepily. Thankfully, Sasuke lay down stiffly next to Naruto, his back toward him. Startled, he felt Naruto's arms wrap around him and pull him closer. Slowly, he relaxed, as he allowed his love's gentle breathing and comforting scent to surround him. Just when Sasuke was sure Naruto had fallen asleep again, he spoke softly in his ear.

"I love you."

That night, Sasuke dreamt of fields upon fields of gentle, waving grass. The wind stroked the plants into a perfectly choreographed dance and the tiny, exquisite flowers that dotted the landscape seemed to shine brighter with each tender breeze. A figure was walking slowly to him, his form blurred and wavering in time with the grass. With a hint of a smile, Sasuke began to walk toward him, focusing only on the clear, blue eyes, and the endless, unbroken love. The scent of vanilla enveloped him.

* * *

**Preview**: 

_Gaara walked slowly over to where Sasuke stood. Each step was filled with predatory intent and his green eyes hinted at malice. Sasuke's returned stare was just as hostile – tension seemed to condense. _

_A faint whisper of noise was all the warning Sasuke had before he found himself wrapped from neck to toe in sand. He gasped for air as the sand began to tighten. His disguise flickered wildly as he focused his energies on escaping. In a deadly quiet voice, Gaara began to speak._

* * *

**A/N**: there ya go.. hope you guys like it.. 

**Monkan**: yay! You read Hawksong!! Isn't it such a good book?? Hahah I could never do it justice..

**Ghostninja85**: thanks again for the emails.. with my memory.. if I didn't have someone to remind me every now and then, this fic would be gathering cobwebs.. hahah.. and look! I updated before my deadline again!! Yay for me!

**Ravyn**-**09**: thanks for the encouragement... school is being retarded right now.. but I hope you like this chapter!

**ILLK**: I'm glad you like it!

**Iceheart19**: sorry... this chapter is really really overdue too.. waah.. well hopefully, the wait was worth it this time too.. hopefully... ::crosses fingers::

**Riddle**: hahaha yeah sorry.. I was originally going to have some other sasunaru stuff in this chapter.. but then.. it didn't really follow the storyline and I couldn't' get it to fit.. so I cut most of it out.. so sorry.. the fact that they're staying together doesn't lead to any sasunaru.. not yet at least.. muahahahaha

**Sunhawk**: lol I'm glad you like the story.

**LilBlackNiteCat**: eep!! I'm sorry!! ::runs and ducks the random thrown objects:: this chapter took longer than the last one to get out.. .. I blame it all on school... man.. surviving on four hours of sleep each day is NOT fun.. . hahah o well.. I'm having self-imposed deadlines now so hopefully, it'll help keep me in check..

**Izumi**: no it's not a flashback.. this is AU, so I twisted the storyline a lot.. so yeah.. the massacre happens when Sasuke and Naruto are already bonded and they are about 18.

**Myuu**-**Foxgirl**: yay! I'm glad you like it! Hahah it's ok if you started reading it only for the sasunaru.. I do that a lot too.. hehe .. and yes.. you're right with your prediction.. yah I know.. very cliché but still good... right?

**Heero2001**: thanks. I hope college isn't that hard.. so you can more time to write! I haven't read your story yet.. haven't found the time.. but don't worry, I'll get around to it soon.. hopefully..

**Chibi** **nazumi**: I'm glad you like the story! Thanks for the comment and happy (very) late bday!!

**Lady** **Geuna**: lol there ya go.. hope this chapter lived up to your expectations.. don't worry, Kakashi and Iruka will eventually meet again.. mehehehe...

Thank you also to **Dreamer**, **Renn**, **Meep**, **Kurokioku**, **Manga**-**lover123**, **therockingrollking**, **mooneyoukai**, **Sapphire**, **Tryster**, **TheTrueSilver**!!!! ::hug::


	10. To Protect

**Disclaimer**: Naruto and Co. not mine. Stop making me say it! ::pouts::

**A/N**: this chappie is kinda slow.. sorry about that.. it's a transition chapter so yeah… don't worry it picks up a bit in the next chapter I promise! Thank you to all the reviewers! I dunno where I'd be w/o you guys!! Ok then.. here we go… enjoy!

**Tidbit about this universe**: Sakura's alter-form is a grey merlin and she is a Lady of the Avian clan. Ino, however, is a second cousin to the royal line and her alter-form is a black and white osprey.

**The Legend of the Thiasa**

**Chapter 9: _To Protect_**

Time passed quickly as the two boys tried to let go of their worries. Days flew by and each attempted to drown their memories of that painful night in each other's arms. Naruto worried constantly over Sasuke. The boy had become withdrawn and even quieter than he already was. Naruto knew that he tried to hide it from him and act normal, but it's not that easy to hide things from someone who has access to your mind.

Sasuke lay awake at nights now. He thought fiercely about his brother and how to avenge his family. There was no doubt that he WOULD avenge his family – after the fear had subsided, it had been replaced by a hatred that burned so brightly inside of him that at times, he was afraid Naruto would see it. He wanted nothing more than to see Itachi dead. In the dark, the boy's troubled mind twisted and bent, trying to find a way to seek revenge without alarming Naruto. If Naruto knew of his intentions… he knew that his mate would never allow him to go. He dared not think too much about Itachi's parting words. If he ever embraced his bloodlust… what would happen? That line of thought was the start of a very dangerous path that Sasuke was afraid of exploring. It wasn't that he didn't want to reach out and grasp the power that was right in front of him – it was Naruto, that damn Naruto.

Sasuke sighed and rolled over to gaze at his mate. Naruto's peaceful face brought a small, sad smile to his face. He scooted closer and wrapped his arms around him, breathing in his unique scent.

"Naruto, why the hell are you so troublesome," Sasuke murmured, unknowingly falling in the same footsteps as a certain other Canis boy. He closed his eyes and let the weariness envelop him.

Sasuke awoke at the first footsteps. He sat up, causing the covers to slide down to his waist and reveal his bare chest. Iruka stepped inside the modest room.

"Ah, Sasuke, you're awake," he said gratefully. "Would you mind waking Naruto for me? I'm taking you both somewhere today."

Sasuke opened his mouth to ask where, but Iruka had already ducked out. Slightly annoyed, he glanced down to his left at Naruto. Damnit. He hated waking Naruto up if for the only reason that he WOULDN'T wake up.

"NARUTO!!!!!! WAKE UP, IDIOT!!!!" Sasuke had bent down and was currently screaming in boy's ear. Naruto grumbled a little and merely flopped over, still fast asleep. Sasuke sat back up and glared at him. This would take something extremely creative to get him out of bed. He thought for a moment and slowly a sinister grin spread across his face. Looking and feeling very un-Sasuke like, he chuckled darkly to himself before executing his plan.

"…mmm… orange… bastard…i…" Naruto was having an extremely pleasant dream when suddenly a sweet aroma filled the air. He breathed in deeply a few times before bolting up, eyes completely open, and yelling, "RAMEN!!!"

Sasuke grinned and ate the entire cup before a shocked Naruto could react. "That's what you get for not waking up."

Naruto wailed. "SASUKE!!! MY RAMEN!!!"

"… mehehehehe…"

Naruto stared at Sasuke, shocked speechless yet again. Had Sasuke really ..had he really… Kyarae, he DID!! "AHHHH!!! Sasuke!!! You just giggled!!"

"I did not," Sasuke coughed, embarrassed, and tried to recover what was left of his dignity.

"Did too!"

"Did not!"

"Did too!!"

"Di-"

Iruka popped his head in, clearly annoyed. "Stop fighting! Honestly, Naruto, how old are you??" With a huff, he withdrew. He called back, "Hurry up, we're leaving soon!"

The two boys exchanged glares before turning their back on each other and getting dressed in silence. Ten minutes later, they found themselves walking briskly through the maze of tunnels, trying to keep up with Iruka. Sasuke had disguised himself again and the trio drew very few looks. Naruto, in his usual loudmouth manner, demanded consistently to know where they were going, but his questions were only met by Iruka's noncommittal answers. Iruka halted suddenly, nearly causing the two boys to crash into him.

"We're here."

Naruto and Sasuke gazed around at their surroundings. Before them were large, oak doors that loomed forebodingly. To either side, stood several guards, each one stiff and expressionless with attention. After telling the two boys to stay put, Iruka went over to one of the guards and spoke in hushed voices with him. Sasuke strained to hear, but by the time he had gotten the correct amount of chakra channeled to his ears, Iruka was already walking toward the doors, beckoning for them to follow.

Inside, a huge cavern greeted them. Lights of chakra floated in various spots, giving off a steady, bright glow that filled the room. Two elaborate wooden thrones sat on a raised dais, a sense of power radiating from them even though they were empty. Cushions and pillows were scattered around the room – it would be later when Sasuke and Naruto would learn that they were for the kneeling subjects.

As if sensing their arrival, a smaller set of doors on the right side of the thrones were thrown open. A woman strode through them, confidence in her every step. Immediately, Iruka fell to his knees and the boys were spared only a moment of wonder and confusion before they too knelt hesitantly behind Iruka. Who was this woman? Neither of them had seen her before. A smirk appeared on her small mouth, slight amusement penetrating her sharp brown eyes. Blonde hair swung slightly as it hung in two loose ponytails, in sync with her walk. She stopped in front of the bowing trio and placed her hands on her hips.

"Iruka! How many times must I tell you!?"

Iruka looked up, a genuine smile lighting up his face. "Sorry," he laughed as he pushed himself up off the ground. He turned and gestured for the two to rise as well. Stepping aside, he introduced them. "Naruto, Sasuke, I'd like you to meet the Thymera."

Sasuke's eyes widened a tiny bit before he immediately snapped to attention and bowed deeply, holding it and waiting for the command to be at ease. Shit. He had no idea this woman was the ruler of the entire Canis clan. None of the stories that had filtered through ever said she was this young!

"Rise," Tsunade said easily. This boy's military training was pretty good for him to have that fast of a reaction time.

Cautious curiousity filled Naruto. "Ne, that means that you're our leader or something right?"

Iruka flushed in embarrassment. "Naruto!! Treat your Thymera with more respect!"

"No, it's ok," Tsunade laughed it off. "Yes, Naruto, being Thymera means that I lead the Canis people."

"But…" Naruto sputtered. "You're too young! You're like my age!"

"For your information, I'm actually around the First's age," Tsunade replied cheekily.

"WHAAAA??!! THAT MEANS YOU'RE AN OLD HAG!!!"

At this, Iruka exploded. "UMINO NARUTO!!!!" Tsunade's face had darkened to a very frightening shade and even the normally slow Naruto realized he was a deep trouble. Slowly, he started to back away, holding his hands out in front of him in a vain attempt at protection. "Um… Um…"

Sasuke sighed inwardly. Were all the Canis this emotional? What a huge difference from the reserved Avain, he mused. But aside from that, he needed to do something soon, or he had a hunch his mate would not live very long. He cleared his throat and asked, "Excuse me, Iruka, but why did you bring us here?"

Iruka shot one last glare at Naruto that promised punishment before turning back to Sasuke. "Ah… well…"

Tsunade cut in, "I'll handle this, Iruka." She faced Sasuke and appraised him critically. "So. You are Uchiha Sasuke from the mighty Uchiha clan of the Avian people."

Sasuke started in shock. How did she -? Swiftly he shot a look at Iruka. Just what did Naruto's father think he was doing?? His face hardened and subtly he shifted into a stance where he would be ready to fight.

Seeing his reaction, Tsunade snorted. "Don't worry, kid. I'm not gonna harm you. And don't even bother trying to fight me – you won't win." Her expression grew grave. "Don't blame Iruka for telling me. I would have found out anyway."

Sasuke stayed in his fighting stance, still wary. "What do you want with me then?"

"Well, first of all, get rid of that ridiculous disguise." Sasuke glanced at Naruto for reassurance before hesitantly shedding his disguise. Secretly, Naruto gazed at Sasuke, amazed at how his heart skipped a beat every time he saw Sasuke's true form.

Tsunade grinned. "Good. Now, just a few questions, Uchiha-san. You are bonded to Naruto, correct? No lying either – I've placed a jutsu on you that'll make it quite painful if you do." She added.

Sasuke frowned. When had she done that? He hadn't even noticed and it was only when he concentrated fiercely did he find the faint traces of hidden chakra around his body. No doubt, if she hadn't told him, he would still be oblivious. He'd have to be much more careful around this woman. "Yes, Naruto and I are bonded." He replied.

She nodded. "Are you from the Avian clan?"

"Yes."

"What is your relation to the Maari?"

"I am his student."

"Ah." Tsunade paused for a moment, thinking of how to present her next question. Quietly, with a hint of darkness, she asked, "Will you betray us?"

Naruto lunged at her. "What the fuck kind of question is that?!?!" Anger burned in his blue eyes. Calmly, Tsunade avoided him and turning, caught him and punched him across the room. Naruto slammed against the wall and slid down. Unconsciously, Sasuke took two steps toward his mate before he stopped himself. Shaking, Naruto got up. He wiped the blood away from his mouth and stormed back to where his Thymera stood.

"How dare you… how dare you even THINK that Sasuke would betray us!!"

Tsunade performed a quick hand seal and Naruto froze. Softly she spoke, "Calm down, Naruto. I'm doing this because I have to. I have to think not only of you guys, but of the entire Canis clan." She sighed. "Just let me finish, alright?" With another hand seal, she released him, and he stumbled back into motion. Grumbling, Naruto crossed his arms and settled for glaring at Tsunade. She turned back to Sasuke and asked one more time, "Will you betray us?"

Sasuke remained quiet for a moment or two. "No," he finally said softly. "I won't."

Tsunade nodded, satisfied. "My last question is more personal," she said gently. "But please, answer it honestly." Sasuke inclined his head. She stepped closer to him to look him full in the eye. The sparkle had gone from her eyes, what remained was a deadly seriousness that made Sasuke tense.

"Will you hurt Naruto?"

"Never," the answer came naturally and firmly, leaving no room for doubt. Sasuke's eyes widened a bit at his own answer. He hadn't really anticipated that – the word had merely slipped from his lips before he could stop it. Inwardly, he frowned slightly in annoyance. Just how much had Naruto changed him?

A smile appeared on Tsunade's face, changing her expression completely. "Good. You may leave now." Some quick hand seals released the truth jutsu from him and Sasuke allowed himself to relax a little. She turned around and retreated behind the doors she had come from.

After a moment of silence, Iruka sighed, "C'mon. Let's go home."

Tsunade closed the door and was faced with a mountain of paperwork. She grimaced with distaste as she walked over to her desk. With a heavy sigh, she sat down and started working. She had barely finished the first document when one of her advisors, Genma, rushed in without even bothering to knock. She set her pen down with a frown.

"What is it?"

The bloodhound before her panted hard and with much effort, shifted back to his human form. He knelt still, trying to catch his breath. Worry grew in Tsunade – this must be something extremely important for Genma to have spent that much energy reaching her.

"…hah… The Viperia…" he gulped for air before continuing. "… They're massing and training people in huge numbers. Just two days ago, they started attacking the northern borders."

Tsunade's eyes widened. The Viperia were a clan in the north that delighted in warfare. For the past decade or so, they had remained strangely dormant and quiet. This alone was suspicious enough for Tsunade to send a steady stream of spies to keep her informed of their activities at all times. Her jaw tightened. She knew something like this would happen someday. She had been expecting it.

Grimly, she got up and started to pace as she talked. "I want you to send out 10 squads." She paused. "200 people – is that enough? Yes, yes, it should be. This is not an attack. It is merely to test their strength and see what they have done these past years."

Genma saluted. "Yes, Thymera." He slipped back into his bloodhound form and was gone as quickly as he had come. The blonde woman stilled and sat back down. She closed her eyes and rubbed worriedly at her temples.

------

Naruto and Sasuke were walking along yet another corridor. Sasuke had disguised himself once again. The chakra lights that were scattered here and there cast sharp shadows across both of their faces. Their footsteps echoed in the empty tunnel, the remaining silence only broken by Naruto's insistent chatter. Sasuke listened, only half attentive. The other part of him was still mulling over the Thymera's questions and examining himself. He felt his soul stretched between Naruto and Itachi and who he would become if he were to follow either one. Confusion – he was not used to it, nor did he like it. He stopped suddenly, his thoughts broken off abruptly. His keen senses told him that there was someone there. Smoothly, he shifted his body so that he would be ready to attack at any time.

Naruto halted. "Huh? What's wrong, Sasuke?"

Black eyes swept the area, the boy not responding to the question. "Come out and I might not kill you." he called out coldly.

A figure stepped out from the shadows into the harsh light. Sasuke scanned him sharply. Brilliant red hair that contrasted with pale skin and mysterious green eyes. Dark rings circled those eyes, making the boy look as if he was constantly glaring. A tattoo hovered on his forehead, partly hidden by the hair. A giant gourd was slung around his shoulder, nearly dwarfing the boy.

Naruto's face brightened. "Gaara! What are you doing here?"

Ignoring him, Gaara walked slowly over to where Sasuke stood. Each step was filled with predatory intent and his green eyes hinted at malice. Sasuke's returned stare was just as hostile – tension seemed to condense.

A faint whisper of noise was all the warning Sasuke had before he found himself wrapped from neck to toe in sand. He gasped for air as the sand began to tighten. His disguise flickered wildly as he focused his energies on escaping. In a deadly quiet voice, Gaara began to speak.

"Who are you?"

"… Fuck … you…" Sasuke gasped. His eyes flashed dangerously, even as he struggled inside. This boy – the bloodlust was going crazy underneath his skin just by his presence. He could not release it when Naruto was so near. He could feel his mate's worry and outrage through the link and tried to ignore him and focus on the enemy in front of him.

Gaara's expression did not change at Sasuke's answer – the sand merely tightened, leaving the dark haired Avian struggling for breath. "Who are you?"

Through the growing pain, Sasuke vaguely heard Naruto's shouting. "GAARA! WHAT THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING?! PUT HIM DOWN!!!" Sasuke closed his eyes. The disguise was starting to slip more and more as blackness formed on the outer edges of his vision.

Naruto was beyond furious. Why the fuck was everyone threatening Sasuke today?! He called up a clone and a sphere of blue chakra started to form in his right hand. "Gaara, I'm warning you!"

Suddenly, Gaara turned to face him and the sand slithered away from Sasuke. He landed on the ground with a thump, heaving for air. Gaara walked until he stood in front of Naruto.

In a quiet voice, he asked, "What is he to you?"

"He's my fucking mate, that's what!" Naruto yelled. "And I swear, Gaara, if you harm him again, I will KILL you, friends or not!" Anger filled his blue eyes as he stared at his friend. The Rasengan spun in his hand, still, casting it's blue light on the two boys.

Flickers of emotions ran through Gaara, though his mask remained unchanged. He stared at Naruto, unsure of what to feel or think. Abruptly, he turned to Sasuke, who had struggled up to a standing position.

"Do not hurt him," his voice had dropped to a deadly quiet whisper meant for Sasuke's ears alone. "The thought of your blood excites me. If it were not for him…" He licked his lips. "If you hurt him, I will kill you and enjoy every minute of it." Gaara's hands came up to form several seals and he disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

Naruto let his Rasengan fade with a pop. He ran over to Sasuke's side, worry showing in his eyes. "Are you alright?"

Sasuke nodded, dark eyes were distant as he thought.

Betrayal. Why did such a simple word have so many dark angles? Why did it call to him alluringly yet repulse him so much? He glanced down into sky blue eyes, wondering what betrayal tasted like.

Eleven days later, Tsunade sat again in her office, slumped over her desk. She hated paperwork with all her heart. She let herself drift off into a nice, peaceful doze. She had nearly fallen asleep when the doors where thrown open. Sighing, she forced herself up. Why didn't anyone ever knock anymore?

"Thymera! Thymera!" Her guards cradled a bleeding bloodhound in their arms, shouting frantically for her to do something. She stood up, wide awake now, and quickly went over and healed him, her blue chakra dancing over wounds. It's eyes opened and it struggled off the ground until it was standing on all four of its shaky legs. It's image blurred for a split second and when it focused once more, Genma knelt in it's spot. He trembled, still drained from his injuries and hurriedly, Tsunade helped him over to a chair.

With concern in her eyes, she questioned him urgently. "What happened?"

He breathed deeply a few more times, trying to regain his strength, before he answered. "The Viperia are led by a new leader, Orochimaru, who apparently has a ring of strong support to back him up. The ring's composed of three to five people – we're not sure, we've never seen them. Around three days ago, we were met with his advancing army. We fought, but their numbers were too great and so we retreated with what men were left."

"How many?" Tsunade breathed, almost afraid of the answer.

"Fourteen."

"Kyarae… where are they now?"

"In the medical cavern, I hope." Even before he finished speaking, Tsunade nodded to one of her guards and he slipped out quietly to check up on the survivors.

"Genma," she said, locking gazes with the man. "Could you estimate for me how many men the Viperia have?"

The brown haired man thought seriously for a long moment, wanting to give the best and most accurate answer. Slowly, he spoke again, "I would say they have 15,000."

The Thymera stood up, her face grim and hard. This was worse than she had thought. 15,000… even summoning all their strength, the Canis had at most only 6,000 able-bodied warriors. And how was she supposed to defend her people from two enemies at once? They could not afford to fight a war on both the northern and eastern borders – they'd collapse within a month.

When Genma had left, Tsunade sat down, took out a throwing needle and began to twirl it around her fingers. It was a habit she had picked up from her comrade, Shizune, and she found that the repetitious motions calmed her mind. She frowned as she thought of the new situation, wracking her brains for a solution.

Nearly three hours later, she had finally, grudgingly come to the conclusion that the only way to solve this problem would be to concentrate on the Viperia alone. Right now, they were the more deadly threat. She chewed on her lip worriedly. That meant, however, that the Canis and Avain forces must join if there was to be any hope at all of getting out of this alive. She slowly picked up her pen and began to write.

_To the Maari of the Avian clan…_

The sunset blazed overhead, matching his hair, hue for hue. Green eyes watched impassively as the brilliant colors shimmered and reflected off the tranquil lake. The evening breeze tugged at his loose clothing and ruffled his short hair. He had forgotten how long he'd been sitting there, watching but not seeing, too lost in his own labyrinth of a mind to care. He sensed rather than heard the footsteps behind him. The next light inhale confirmed his suspicions as his nose registered the faint traces of scent.

Neji stopped his steps and stood for a moment, gazing at Gaara's hunched back. A moment longer and he carefully picked his way over and sat down beside the pale boy. The two sat in companionable silence, watching the sky fade from streaked red to a husky black. Neji said nothing but he knew. There was only one person Gaara cared enough about to be able to upset him this way. There had always been that one person and with quiet wisdom, Neji understood. As part of the Brae clan, who stood on neutral ground and therefore heard many things others might not have, he knew of Gaara's past.

He still remembered that one humid summer. It had been years, decades, centuries ago – he didn't know exactly, to him time had always been blurred. A small clan of badgers had wandered in from the west, beyond the mountains and off the map. They had the misfortune of stumbling into the midst of death-smelling fields, where the dirt had been permanently stained maroon. They had been killed, all of them - save one.

The story went that a blonde boy had defeated this particular badger and yet had spared his life. Even when mobs began to swarm around the last 'enemy', Naruto had stood his ground and stood by Gaara, a mere stranger – even going to the lengths of taking several enraged blows. Eventually, Gaara had been allowed to stay and the two boys had formed an odd kind of relationship. Neji sighed. At least, that was what the rumors had said. He had yet to hear it from Gaara's own mouth.

Stars began to show their shy faces one by one. He turned slightly to look at the darkened profile of his companion. He understood him too, in a different way than Naruto understood him but it was still a connection.

In a soft voice he said, "Gaara, you need to trust Sasuke."

The boy stiffened then relaxed but his posture still reflected his troubled thoughts. Neji sighed and gently took Gaara's hand, giving it a comforting squeeze before getting up.

"He loves him, doesn't he?" Gaara suddenly spoke, his deep voice tinged with a hint of despair.

Neji said nothing.

**Preview: **

(This won't be a very good one because I don't want to give anything away. Sorry!)

_The clearing was jammed with people. A loud hum of curious chatter filled the area – there hadn't been a formal gathering called in decades. Men and women milled about, unused to their formal, traditional robes. Small children ran about, not knowing or caring what the meaning behind the 'playtime' was. A few small chakra lights hung above the area, giving off a warm, gentle luminescence that barely allowed the people to walk without tripping. The night stars sparkled against the black sky, companions to the beautiful full moon that provided most of the lighting. The banners that had been hung around the place fluttered in the gentle breeze. Suddenly, a few short strains of music were heard and the crowd went deadly silent. The music faded away and in it's place, the Thymera of the Canis people stepped onto the raised platform in the front. _

Alright here we go… this might take a while, but I want all of you to know how much I appreciate your reviews!!! Thank you so much!!

**LilBlackNiteCat**: I'm glad I got the interaction between Sasuke and Naruto right… I was afraid when I first started that I would totally botch it up… heheh and you should know what clan Gaara's from now… I'm not naming them though because it's not really needed for the storyline..

**Myuu-Foxgirl**: ooo HP and the Chamber of Secrets is my personal favorite out of the series so far… well actually.. it's a close tie b/t that and the Order of the Phoenix… hahah maybe if you keep talking about yaoi with your friends, you'll hook them into SasuNaru!!! Yes!!! SN forever!!!!

**Ghostninja85**: sorry about the really long wait… and nope, Gaara's not a canis, he gets his own lil clan.. albeit a nearly extinct one but o well. XD

**Renn**: oh don't worry.. I get the feeling Iruka and Kakashi will meet again… someday… ::rubs hands mischievously::

**ILLK**: hahah I'm glad you think AU's are the best.. because that's mostly what I'm planning to write… I have just soooo many good AU ideas floating around in my head… yay!

**Clow Angel**: I'm glad you love the fic! It's not beautiful but the fact that you think it is makes me all warm and giggly inside… hehe

**Noniechan**: HAHA I'm sorry to say, but I'm already married … jk!… besides, who says I can't have multiple spouses?? The more the merrier right?? Hehe

**Jinglebellluver**: yay I'm glad you like it!

**Pochacco5**: Thank you!! ::blushes:: I know a lot of people who write soo much better than me though hahaha.. reading their works puts me back in my place whenever I start to get too puffed up…

**Kurokioku**: yupyup.. there ya go… Gaara has appeared!!! XD

**Izumi**: hmmm not sure about leaving Naruto as the seme tho… even tho Sasuke as the uke is a very adorable image.. I think I like it better when they take turns heheheh sharing is caring right? .

**Demonesse**: thanks! Hopefully this chapter was up to your expectations… hahah

**Freakish** **Lemon**: hahah I have an overactive imagination.. I've actually come up with a lot more details for this world but I don't have any room in the fic to put them… ah well.. ooo I just thought of something.. maybe at the beginning of each chapter I'll put up lil tidbits about the world eh? Yay I'll go do that to this chapter right now! And yes.. war is evil… enemies aren't really enemies.. they're still HUMANS.

**Iceheart19**: I updated! Even though it took me a really really long time.. but hehe that's beside the point…

**Kieshar**: Thank you for reviewing!! I hope you enjoyed this chapter too! Thanks again for coming out of the lurking kingdom!

**Heero2001**: ahh.. I wanna go to college… HS is too much drama, too much work yeesh.. anyhoo I hope you liked this chapter!

**Tenshikaitou**: oh no! sorry!! I tried to make the AU not as confusing… but apparently I didn't succeed as well as I had thought… well.. I'm glad you stuck with me!! hahah

**Orlis-gal48(2**: thanks… I personally don't like fics that rush the relationship.. it's not as believable then y'know? It's like.. one moment they're still denying the fact that they were meant to be together (which they are…) and then the next moment they're having sex… haha.. I just don't buy it…

**Nakira Ayame Outsuno**: Yes yes!! Read Hawksong!! It is such an awesome book… esp for ppl like me who are suckers for romance and action.. I actually read the book three times in two weeks… I love it that much…

::breathes:: goodness… how many reviewers are there?? Hahah it's ok though, I love you all!!

**Kanemoshi**: hahah yes I know… Kakashi does seem a little… irresponsible to be king right? Oh well… we all know that underneath that perverted exterior, he's powerful enough to have me shaking in my socks… wahahah KakaIru are so irresistible..

**TheTrueSilver**: was it sad? Errr.. ::tries to remember what exactly she wrote in the last chapter:: I can't remember… but … don't cry! There's a happy ending later I swear!!

**Tryster**: hahah I hate it when my hands are cold and I hafta type with gloves… it's very awkward and embarrassing.. I hope you liked this chapter

**Melony**: yes of course I had to stop there… it's what all evil fanfic writers HAVE TO do. I can't help it. Anyhoo. I've read Impassioned Shades of Red… but I think the only thing that the two fics have in common is the whole bonding thing.. and even then it's a bit different. O well. I'm still flattered that Thiasa is compared to such an awesome fic as that one. Here I'll tell you what happens next… ::leans closer:: psst psssst psst… yup! .

**XxMercuryTearsxX**: yay I'm glad you like the fic! SasuNaru forever!!! Woot! And I don't mind stalkers.. I've had my fair share of them hahah… and thanks for pointing out the difference b/t yaoi and shounen ai… it kinda confused me before…

**Chibi nazumi**: yup they're together! I hope you liked this chapter!

**Yuki Sweettfurr**: I'm glad you like it!! ::does happy dance::

**Kimseh**: omgosh.. you have to read Hawksong!! It's so awesome.. I love Naruto toooooo!!! Hopefully this chapter lived up to your expectations!

**Dreamer**: well… I didn't really explain it in the chapter, but Sasuke's cover doesn't really get blown… but Gaara already knows that Sasuke's an Avian… sorry if that was a bit confusing..

**Animebay**-**b**: uh oh.. I hope this chapter met those high expectations!! ::ducks the thrown vegetables::

**The Original Dirtyangel**: thanks, I'm glad you like it!

**Kurisutaru39**: I updated, I updated!! I'm proud of myself… haha jkjk

**Momochi Zabuza II**: thank YOU for reviewing! I'm crossing my fingers in hopes that you liked this chapter too…

**Silent laugh**: whot? What? I'm confused… but still happy that you enjoyed the fic!

**Aivivi**: I'm going… I'm going… lol

**Nat**: hahah drugs... SASUNARU will someday rule the world… seriously.

**Quaebah24**: thanks for reviewing! I've written more, as you can see, and I plan to write much much more… I have so many yummy fic ideas floating around in my head…

**LadyRed06**: yay! I'm glad you love it!

**Monkan**: I've updated! Sorry if this chapter was a bit slow… it's kinda a transition chapter… but oh well… I suppose the parts where Naruto got protective of Sasuke could be counted as sweet right?? XD

Wow that took forever… hahah


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